Lights Will Guide You Home (And I Promise I Will Burn For You)
by rayrae118
Summary: Third in the Promise series. Harry's sixth year. How will Harry and his friends prepare to combat the Dark Lord?
1. Chapter 1

**And here we are at year six! Thank you to everyone who has followed me this far. I hope you enjoy the next installment! I'm sorry it took so long, but I got really hung up on how to twist the sixth book to my own story. And I'm trying my hand at an original story, so I've been working on that a bit as well. But here we are, for your reading pleasure!**

**You're getting the first chapter at a weird time. I like to update on weekends, so that I can ensure I actually manage to get a new chapter out. But I finished this story late tonight, and I didn't want to wait a whole week before posting. So after this, it will be weekly updates, on Saturdays.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter in any way, shape, or form**

Harry broke off from his offensive attack as a whistle pierced the air.

His sparring partner, Neville, also looked towards the doorway to the training room.

Sirius was standing there, watching the two teenagers fight. "Not bad," he commented, smiling slightly. "Neville, keep your wand arm up. Harry managed to get a few hits in because you give him an opening when you drop your guard."

Neville nodded, panting slightly from the exertion of the morning. He and Harry had been going at it nonstop for almost an hour.

Sirius turned to his godson. "Harry, Amelia's here and she'd like to speak with you."

Harry nodded, and looked over at Neville. "We'll pick this up later, all right?"

Neville smirked. "Looking forward to it."

Harry returned the smirk, and followed Sirius out of the room.

Though the dog animagus had been released from St. Mungos almost a week ago, he still walked with a bit of a limp, so their journey upstairs was slow.

Just a couple weeks earlier, Harry had been forcibly abducted from Hogwarts, when Draco Malfoy, an arrogant toe rag and all around prick, had thrown a portkey - or something like it - at him, sending him to the Ministry of Magic. There, Harry and his friends, who had followed him to the Ministry, were attacked by Death Eaters.

Though they fought well, Harry had been relieved to see help come in the form of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. He might have some issues with the headmaster of Hogwarts, but he wouldn't turn down help when he and his friends so badly needed it.

Fortunately, there were few serious injuries. The worst hurt was Sirius, who had to spend some time at St. Mungos. Harry was relieved that his godfather was not permanently injured, but it had still been a huge scare for him. Even though he still showed signs of the attack in the form of his limp, the healers assured them that it would fade in time, and he should regain full mobility.

After dueling Voldemort himself, Harry had been less than pleased when Dumbledore had portkeyed him back to his office at the school, rather than the Infirmary, where he definitely should have gone.

There, Dumbledore had proceeded to inform him of the prophecy that Voldemort – and the headmaster – put such stock into. Harry would much rather have just gone to the Hospital Wing.

He had gotten some satisfaction though, when his guardian and Head of House, Minerva McGonagall, interrupted their 'talk', and slapped her boss and the leader of the light across the face.

Sirius and Harry arrived at the sitting room, drawing Harry from his thoughts.

Amelia was waiting for them on the sofa, but she stood up immediately as they entered, kissing her fiancé before focusing on Harry.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," she smiled. "I'm afraid I don't have a whole lot of time, but I wanted to keep you updated on the situation with the fight at the Ministry."

They all sat down, before Amelia continued. "As I'm sure you're aware, all of the Death Eaters you captured have been arrested. Those who had escaped Azkaban have been sent back. We'll be holding trials for the others within the next month, as we complete our investigation." Harry and Sirius nodded. Amelia smiled tightly. "I must thank you, Harry, for dealing with Mr. Malfoy for me. I've been trying to lessen his influence for nearly a year now."

"What will happen to them?" Harry asked, shifting in his seat.

Amelia shrugged with one shoulder. "They will all undoubtedly be convicted and sentenced to life in Azkaban. Those who have it will be stripped of their lordship status."

Harry nodded. It was no less than they deserved.

Amelia sighed. "It has not been an easy few months," she admitted. "Fudge had a lot of fingers in a lot of pies, and I'm still trying to clean house. Things are getting better, slowly."

"Have you questioned him at all yet?" Harry asked.

Amelia nodded. "Unfortunately, taking bribes and furthering his own agenda at the expense of the greater wizarding world, while horrendous and distasteful, is not strictly illegal. I couldn't charge him with anything, but I promise you he'll have a hard time finding work in Britain."

Sirius looked pleased with that, though he did wish it were possible to arrest the former Minister. Fudge had negatively impacted the wizarding world for so long, and it would be a while before they could fully recover from everything that idiot had done.

Amelia smiled wanly. "I'm trying to reverse several laws Fudge pushed through, which will hopefully make things better, but it's not easy. I'm fighting an uphill battle. More than one actually, with Voldemort moving out into the open like he has."

Harry winced. Since the attack at the Ministry, the _Prophet_ had attributed several deaths to the megalomaniac.

Amelia sighed again. "I've also had Kingsley investigate Malfoy Junior's involvement. I know Dumbledore won't do anything, but quite frankly, that's not up to him."

"And?" Harry asked, his voice neutral. He didn't like it that a kid his age could potentially be facing jail time or something like that, but Draco had made his bed. He had chosen his path, and Harry wouldn't lose any sleep over the Slytherin.

Amelia shook her head, disgusted at both the teenager's actions, and the fact that Dumbledore was unwilling to hold him accountable. "As he has completed his OWLs, the DMLE can investigate, and if necessary, prosecute him as an adult. We are still gathering evidence, but at the very least, Mr. Malfoy will be suspended. Most likely, he will be expelled, but I don't think we have enough to actually send him to Azkaban. He didn't take part in any of the fighting. But we will bring our investigation to the Board of Governors, and they will undoubtably choose to take action. Especially since Augusta is on the Board."

Harry nodded. With Malfoy gone, perhaps they could all breathe a little easier at school. With the formation of the DA, a lot of the animosity between Slytherin and the other Houses had all but disappeared, but Malfoy had been one of the ones to keep it going, instigating conflicts and encouraging his fellow holdouts to make things difficult for their classmates.

Amelia smiled tightly. "I'll keep you updated, and let you know when a decision is made."

"Thanks," Harry replied. He bit his lip, hesitating, before he asked his next question. "What's going on with Percy? He hasn't contacted his family since their falling out, and I know Fudge had promoted him."

Amelia shook her head slightly. "I've redistributed many of Fudge's personal hires. Most of them displayed attitudes adverse to a cohesive government." She rubbed a hand across her face. "Percy is a bright young man, but he needs to learn to think for himself and stop trusting in power. He should have realized something was wrong when he got promoted so soon after having to answer questions about to whom he was reporting, when it clearly wasn't Barty Crouch. I moved him to the Department of Magical Transportation for now. We'll see if he actually learns anything. I will reassess at a later date, should Percy show himself to be improving."

Harry nodded, knowing that Amelia's course was the best one for everyone, especially Percy. She would give him a chance to prove himself, to earn his position at the Ministry.

After a few moments of silence, Amelia stood up. "I need to get back to work, but I'll see you tonight." She gave Sirius a kiss, before stepping through the Floo.

Sirius and Harry headed back to the training room, where they spent the rest of the afternoon practicing their defense work.

**XXX**

Summer continued to pass in a similar vein. Blaise, Luna, and Daphne became regulars in the defense training, and Fred and George stopped by when they could. They were in the process of setting up their new joke shop, and were quite busy getting everything ready for their opening, which would hopefully be the first week of August, just in time for the back to school rush.

Cedric spent the first couple weeks of summer with Harry and his friends, but all too soon, his new job started, and his time was severely restricted. He did, however, come by every Saturday morning with Blaise, Daphne, and Luna, for animagus practice.

They finished brewing the potion a little over a week into summer, and Harry and his friends eagerly gathered to find out what animals the others were. Harry knew it was likely that his friends' forms were the same as their Patronuses, but he knew that wasn't always the case. When he had first learned the Patronus Charm, his had taken the shape of a stag, and his animagus form was a panther. Of course, his Patronus had changed to a phoenix, but he thought that had more to do with his and Ginny's soul bond, rather than their shared animagus form.

Fred and George went first, wide grins indicating their pleasure at their forms.

"Coyote," they said in unison, looking at the group.

Harry nodded, remembering what he had read about them in the animal book Sirius had given them for study. "Not native to the British Isles, but they typically represent clowning and humor, intelligence, and pranksters. It fits."

Cedric went next; he shifted in his seat, and smiled. "I'm an elk."

Sirius was the one to inform him of the traits of this animal, since he remembered when James had looked through the books to find his animal; elks and stags were somewhat similar, or at least, in the same family. "Strength, freedom, power, nobility. From what I know of you, I think it fits."

Cedric's smile widened, and Blaise spoke next. "Bobcat."

Sirius tilted his head. "Vigilance, the ability to see through masks. It's a good animal."

Blaise nodded, pleased with the assessment.

Daphne leaned forward. "I'm a fox."

Sirius smiled. "Cunning, intelligence, ability to observe unseen, protection."

Daphne returned the smile, though it was slightly more guarded.

"Falcon," Luna's voice was just as mysterious as it usually was, but her smile was genuine and pleased.

Sirius turned his grin to her. "Falcons have a mythological role of soul healing, and accompanying the soul back to the soul world. They're believed to represent astral traveling and healing. From what I've learned about you, I believe the animal fits you perfectly."

Luna nodded, her expression slightly vacant, but it was easy to see she was happy with her animal.

Sirius passed out copies of the animal book Harry and the others had learned from the year before. "The first step is to learn about your animal. Once you do that, Harry will take over, since his method proved much more effective than my own."

They all took the reading with them and dispersed for the day.

**XXX**

As the days passed, the newer additions became familiar with their inner animal, and Harry proceeded to teach them his theories on wandless magic. None of them took to it right away, but they continued to practice, determined to get it to work.

Two weeks into summer, Minerva called for those adults she and Sirius had formed into their own circle, so that she and Harry could speak with them about the possibility of bringing Snape into their confidence.

Several of them were less than thrilled – mostly Bill and Tonks, as those two had been at Hogwarts and observed Snape's sour disposition – but eventually, they agreed to give him a chance.

Harry didn't want to tell them everything he and the Potions master had discussed, but he did lend his support. He had had several months to process everything, and while he still had some issues with the choices the man had made, the fact that he was upfront and actually told him the truth counted for a lot. That, and he could see clearly how much Snape regretted his actions.

Harry sighed as Bill once again voiced his concerns.

"I'm not saying we'll all become the best of friends," the soon to be sixth year had to pause as several of them let out snorts of laughter. "But I think Snape can be trusted, and he probably has some useful information that we could use. He was a Death Eater, after all, he has to know a lot about Voldemort."

A few of them flinched at the name, but Sirius nodded. "It's a good idea," he admitted ruefully. "I don't like the man, but I can work with him. As long as he doesn't do anything to betray our trust, I say we give him a chance."

They all agreed with varying degrees of enthusiasm, and broke for dinner.

Since Cedric had started his job at the Ministry, he was no longer attending Defense lessons during the week, but he and the twins still came for Saturday morning animagus practice every week, eager to complete the transformation.

Luna was the first one to successfully levitate her feather without a wand, and soon after, moved to attempting to transfer the theory to her transformation.

Harry figured she was the quickest because of her willingness to trust in the unknown. The others, having all been raised a certain way, still had to get over their conceptions of how magic worked.

Harry asked Jason to come one Saturday to test the others' Occlumency shields.

Jason was impressed at their progress, and deemed them well on their way to mastering the art. Luna's mindscape he equated to Harry's: it made no sense and gave him a headache.

He also gave Harry a lesson on Legilimancy, but stressed the importance of using the skill responsibly. Fred and George gave Harry permission to practice on them, trusting him not to abuse the privilege. The others were less willing, which Harry understood completely, and wasn't offended. Once he got a little more practiced against someone with less than perfect shields, he'd see how far he could get against someone with rock solid shields, like Ginny, or Hermione.

A little over three weeks into summer, Minerva contacted Snape and asked him to come to the Castle to meet with her and her allies.

Uncertain but willing, Severus agreed, and promised to be there.

**XXX**

Snape stepped out of the Floo promptly on time, and nodded at Minerva, who was waiting for him. She replied in kind, stepping forward. "Severus, thank you for coming. Most of the others are already here, so let's join them." They headed out into the hallway as Minerva continued, "Arthur, Bill, and Fleur had to work and couldn't come today, but the rest are here."

Severus nodded again. He was surprised that Minerva had allowed him into her home, to be honest, even if she wanted him involved in this group she and Black had going on.

As if reading his thoughts, Minerva smiled thinly. "You have restricted access to our home. When we meet, you will be allowed through the Floo. You cannot apparate here, however, so I would not advise trying it."

Snape nodded, thinking. He was grateful that Harry was so mature. Any normal fifteen year old would not handle the news Snape had dropped on him so well. Since their conversation in January, the teenager had given no indication of his thoughts towards the Potions master. He seemed almost confused: appreciative that Snape had told him the truth, but angry that the older man was the reason for his parents' deaths, and disturbed that, had it been anyone other than Lily in danger, Snape wouldn't have done anything. He hadn't been sure what would happen after he had talked with Potter, but this invitation to meet with Minerva and several other adults who seemed to be separating themselves from Albus indicated that the teenager was willing to put aside the animosity.

Minerva opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off before she could speak as Harry rushed out onto the landing on the second floor, seeing the Potions master. "Professor!" he called. "I'm glad you're here."

Ron, coming up behind him, stared. "Mate, are you sure you're all right?"

Snape glared at the Weasley boy, but Harry paid him no mind as he hurried down the stairs. "I have something I'd like you to look at, if you're willing. I've gone over it a thousand times, and I think it's right, but I'm sure you'll find a bunch of mistakes."

Snape rolled his eyes. "It can't be summer homework, Potter, as you don't have any, and I'm busy."

Harry looked at him beseechingly. His bright green eyes pleaded silently, and were so much like Lily's, that Snape could do little more than stare.

Harry took the professor's silence as acquiescence, and grinned. He shifted the books in his arms around, and one of the titles became readable.

Minerva lifted one eyebrow. "I was not aware you had a copy of _Most Potente Potions_ in your possession, Harry."

Harry looked up, blushing as he realized just how many people were in the entry now, watching him. In addition to his friends – Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Susan – Minerva, Sirius, Remus, Amelia, Kingsley, Molly, Augusta, and all three Tonkses were also there. He shrugged with one shoulder, looking at his guardian. "I saw a copy at the bookstore in Hogsmeade last term. It was pretty busy, so I don't think the man at the counter realized what I was buying, but I figured it would be a good book to study from. It's not like we're second years," he and Hermione shared a look, as they remembered brewing the Polyjuice Potion from that very book.

Minerva nodded slightly, though she still had a slightly disapproving expression on her face. Sirius just looked happy that his godson had a little Marauder in him.

Snape cleared his throat. "I thought you had something you wanted to show me," he drawled.

Harry's blush deepened. "Right," he muttered. He switched _Most Potente Potions_ and _Advanced Potions Making_ to one arm, and pulled out a smaller book. Flipping it open, Snape could see handwritten recipes and notes inside. He felt some surprise rise up inside him; this book appeared to be a potions journal. He wasn't aware that Potter was so interested in the subject that he would be investing this much time into it.

Harry seemed unsure of what to do for a moment, before Ginny sighed and reached out, taking the textbooks out of his hands. He smiled at his girlfriend in thanks, and turned his attention to the journal, flipping through the pages. "I've been doing some research, just in theory, because I really think there's a way to improve this potion." He held out the journal, and Snape stepped closer, reading the ingredients and instructions, along with the notes written down on the pages Harry had shown him.

His eyebrow rose minutely, and he looked up at Harry with something almost like shock on his face. He held out his hand, and Harry willingly passed the journal over. Snape glanced over at Remus for a moment, before he turned his attention to the handwritten book. Rather than the untidy scrawl he would expect, everything was written out neatly and painstakingly, clearly an indication of someone who cared about what they were writing.

Harry shifted nervously as Snape read. After several minutes of silence, the Potion's master looked up, respect in his gaze. "I'm impressed," he said quietly.

The teenagers all showed their surprise at the praise, having never heard such words come from the man, especially directed at Harry.

Harry smiled. "What do you think? It's just a start, but I think the first step is to improve the potion, before I think about finding a cure." He grinned bashfully.

Snape had to force himself to hold in a snort. If there was anyone who could come up with a cure, somehow, he figured it would be Potter. He gestured to the journal. "Your notes here suggest switching the lionfish and moonseed."

Harry nodded. "I think the moonseed would dissolve better with the undiluted bat blood. And the lionfish would react to the aconite…"

Snape nodded thoughtfully. "The toxicity levels of both together would create an opposite effect of reducing the toxicity. And here, you posit switching Fluxweed for the Nightshade? Risky, but innovative. It might just work. This is quite impressive, Harry. How much time have you spent working on this?"

Harry shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. "Off and on for the last six months or so," he replied. "I think it will come out a slightly darker shade of blue at the end, but the overall appearance won't change too much."

Around them, it was easy to see people were getting frustrated. "Can one of you tell us what potion you're talking about?" Ron finally asked. Neville nodded, agreeing.

Susan and Hermione rolled their eyes at Ron's impatience, even though they were curious as well, and Ginny just beamed at her boyfriend's brilliance.

Snape glanced up at the crowd. "Wolfsbane," he stated calmly.

Now everyone was staring at Harry.

Remus was shocked beyond words. "Harry…" he trailed off, unable to say anything.

Harry was now beyond embarrassed. "I've been studying the potion, in theory, for a while. I was just so sure there was a way it could be improved." He looked at Minerva, knowing what she was thinking. "I promise, I haven't tried to brew the potion, and I won't without a licensed Potions master present. I don't want to have to explain any exploding cauldrons to anyone." Once more, Snape felt the need to hold in a laugh. Harry looked down briefly. "Honestly, I'm not sure if I'm even skilled enough to brew the potion myself, but I thought I could at least study the theory."

Snape shook his head, exasperated. "Trust me, Potter, you could do it."

That was certainly unexpected. Snape had just praised Harry again.

Harry was now even more embarrassed, but he had approached Snape for a reason. He looked back at the Potions professor. "So do you think it will work?" he asked.

Snape studied the son of his oldest friend and biggest rival. After a moment, he let something almost like a smile adorn his face as he nodded. "Yes," he replied. "In fact, I am almost certain it will work."

Remus shifted nervously. "What exactly is it you are trying to accomplish, Harry?"

Snape looked up at the werewolf. "If these improvements work the way I believe they will, it should cut down the pain of the transformation by roughly seventy five percent."

Remus' jaw almost hit the floor. As good as the Wolfsbane potion was, it still didn't do anything to help with the pain.

"You really think it will work, Severus?" Sirius asked, knowing his oldest friend wasn't able to say anything at the moment.

Snape looked at his onetime rival, and now… colleague. He nodded. "Without testing it, obviously, I cannot say for sure, but the research is sound." He looked at Remus. "The obvious question then follows: are you willing to test it?"

Remus snapped out of his shock, and looked over at Harry. His pseudo nephew was looking nervous under the scrutiny of so many people. Looking back at Snape, he nodded. "If you think it will work, I trust your expertise."

Snape almost smiled. He looked at Minerva. "I trust you have an adequate Potion's laboratory?"

She nodded. "I can have a house elf –"

Snape shook his head, looking at Harry as he cut her off. "Potter can show me the way. Come on, Potter," he gestured for Harry to lead him towards what was presumably the way to the basement and Potion's lab. "Let's see how adept you are at the Wolfsbane Potion."

Harry grinned and took his books back from Ginny with a quick peck on the cheek, before he quickly hurried after Snape.

Minerva shook her head, smiling slightly. It looked as if they would need to catch Snape up later. There were just over two weeks left until the full moon, and as the potion took a week to make, and needed to be taken for a week before the full moon, they had just enough time to brew the potion for Remus.

Remus was still staring at where Snape and Harry had disappeared. "But Lycanthropy cannot be cured," he whispered, just loud enough for them to hear.

Sirius shook his head, slinging an arm around his oldest friend's shoulders. "Not yet," he argued. "But with thinking like that, how will it ever be?"

Hermione nodded her agreement. "I trust Harry," she stated firmly. "If he says he's going to come up with a cure, he will, and I'll do everything I can to help him. I wonder if he's thought at all about how to approach it?"

They all looked at her, confused, and Hermione shrugged sheepishly. Even after five years of being corrupted, she was still the same bookish girl at heart. And she loved a good challenge.

"How to approach what?"

They all turned to see Harry walk back towards them. He answered their unasked question with a small smile. "I've got one more journal I need to fetch."

Hermione's eyes gleamed with the idea of learning something new. "Can I watch you and Professor Snape?" she asked eagerly.

Harry nodded, chuckling slightly at her characteristic attitude, and Hermione followed him upstairs to grab the journal he had gone to fetch, before they returned to the potions lab.

Once there, Hermione was put to use slicing ingredients, while Snape and Harry set up their station, still talking about the improvements.

It wasn't until over an hour later when Hermione was able to ask Harry about his ideas on potential cures. They had just added the first ingredient, the bat blood, and set the cauldron to simmer, and had to wait precisely three hours before they could add the moonseed.

Hermione twisted her hands nervously. "Harry, you mentioned thinking about potential cures. Have you actually considered possibilities yet?"

Harry looked at her, and then at Snape. The Potions master looked interested as well. He shrugged. "I've considered ideas, but probably not in the way you'd expect. I actually think the muggle world might hold the answer." Both looked surprised. Harry sat down at one of the large tables, and Hermione and Snape followed his example. He rested his arms on the table and leaned forward slightly, his bright green eyes passionate. "The disease is in the blood, right?" Both nodded. "I think we might have better luck studying muggle medicine. Did you know their hospitals have machines that can filter out blood from the body?"

Snape looked intrigued, and Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "I remember my grandfather having to be hooked up to that machine a while back. Dialysis, I think it was called. You think it would work for this?"

Harry shook his head slightly. "As it is, no. But with a little tweaking and a little magic, maybe." He looked down, embarrassed. "I'm not really that far along in the thought process, it was just an idea. The improved Wolfsbane is something that can help Remus now, and it's something I can actually _do_."

Hermione smiled, shaking her head slightly. "Harry, you're a good person, but don't stress yourself out too much." She laughed lightly. "I know I'm the last person who should be giving this advice, but don't take on too much. You've got a lot going on, and a lot to deal with. Try not to wear yourself out."

Harry nodded his agreement, smiling as well. It was amusing to see his friend tell him not to spend too much time studying and researching, considering all she tried to do herself, especially her third year. "I know," he agreed. "Right now, it's just theories and ideas. I'm not going to spend too much time thinking about it until I have the time to do so. I'll wait until after graduation, all right?"

Hermione nodded decisively. "Agreed, so long as you let me help you. This sounds fascinating!"

Harry chuckled, and even Snape let out a small laugh.

Hermione looked startled at the Potions master's mirth, but hid it much better than Ron would have.

Snape seemed impressed at the level of thought Harry had already put into the theory. "I will admit that I have not kept up with muggle advancements since I left my father's house," he admitted, "but the idea of filtering the blood seems remarkable, if not a little absurd. I would be interested in involving myself in this research as well, if you are willing."

Harry nodded agreeably, looking relieved. "I'm glad you're both interested. I'm not sure how far I'd get on my own, this isn't exactly a small project."

Both kept their exasperation on Harry's unwillingness to see his own brilliance to themselves, and instead passed the remaining time before the next step in the potion discussing what they would be changing.

_Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: not mine**

Over the next week, Harry was busy helping Snape with the potion in between Defense lessons and helping Blaise, Luna, and Daphne with their wandless magic and animagus transformation.

After a week's hard work, the potion was ready. As Harry had posited, the shade was slightly darker blue than the original, with a pale gray smoke that drifted up from the cauldron and gave it a mother of pearl-like sheen.

Remus took the first goblet they offered him and with a deep breath, knocked it back as quickly as possible.

He shuddered, and Harry shrugged apologetically. "As of yet, I haven't found a way to improve the taste."

Remus shook his head, smiling. "It's all right, Harry. What you have done is more than enough."

Harry blushed. "We still don't know if it will work," he reminded the werewolf.

Remus rested a hand on his pseudo nephew's shoulder. "I trust you, Harry. You've got a great mind in that head of yours. I believe in you."

Harry now resembled a tomato, as Remus left the room.

Snape rolled his eyes. "One of these days, Potter, you're going to have to learn how to take a compliment."

Harry threw a half-hearted glare at the Potions master, but didn't reply.

**XXX**

A week later, Remus and Sirius were preparing to leave for the full moon. They had planned to spend the night at Remus' old cottage. He hadn't really lived there in a couple of years, but it would make a good spot to wait out the night.

They received a surprise when they reached the entryway.

Harry and his friends were all waiting for them, similar expressions of determination on their faces.

Remus shook his head, suddenly worried. "No," he protested. "You're not coming."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Who said you were going anywhere?" he asked reasonably. "The way I see it, we've got a nice expanse of land right outside these doors."

Remus wasn't giving in, though. "It's too dangerous," he said firmly, looking at Sirius for back up.

Sirius just shrugged helplessly.

Harry looked at Neville. Without saying anything, the Longbottom heir transformed into his wolf form and headed out the open door.

Harry turned back to Remus. "We're all capable of handling it," he said calmly.

Ron and Hermione both transformed and followed Neville.

Remus just kept shaking his head. "I don't…"

Harry glanced at Susan, and she transformed into an eagle, flying out through the open doors.

His eyes were amused as he turned back to Remus. "Face it, Remus. We're not letting you go through this alone. Being a wolf means being part of a pack. We're your pack."

Ginny transformed now, rubbing up against Harry's leg before bounding out the door.

Sirius chuckled. "Looks like you're outnumbered, Mooney. Best to know when you're defeated." He then turned into a dog and barked, wagging his tail.

Remus sighed, shaking his head. Harry shrugged, not looking apologetic at all. "Come on, Mooney," he jerked his head to the door. "It's almost time."

Harry then changed to a panther, and looked up at Remus, his green eyes pleading.

The Marauder groaned exasperatedly. Even in animal form, Harry knew how to hit him where it hurt. He just couldn't resist those eyes.

He nodded, sighing again, and followed Harry as he ran outside.

**XXX**

The next morning, Remus woke up early, and looked around. He was outside, surrounded completely by multiple sleeping animals.

He was surprised as he sat up. Never before had such a task been so easy. Usually, just getting up was a chore, muscles protesting, injuries screaming for attention.

Another look around showed him that they were on the Quidditch pitch.

Nearby, he spied a pile of cloth, and he quickly made his way over, still marveling at the lack of pain he found himself in.

The pile turned out to be a robe, and he put it on, smiling, knowing that Minerva was responsible.

"Mooney?"

Sirius' query broke him from his thoughts, and he turned around, the smile widening. "Padfoot," he returned the greeting.

Sirius had known Remus for over two decades, and even when they had been eleven years old, his friend had always had an air of heaviness and weight surrounding him.

But the friend who stood in front of him today… it was as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Remus looked years younger.

The other animals were stirring now, and one by one, transformed back to human.

Harry studied Remus carefully. "Did it work?" he asked, his gaze worried.

Remus' smile widened. "Congratulations, Harry. Your changes were brilliant. I feel better than I have in years."

Harry grinned. "That's great, Remus."

Ginny gave him a hug. _You hear that, Harry? You're brilliant._

Harry shrugged mentally. _Snape helped_, he protested.

Ginny shook her head as they all started to head back inside. _You were the one who came up with the improved potion. Snape just helped you brew it. Your inferiority complex needs to stop, Harry. You're amazing, just embrace it._

Harry blushed slightly, but didn't reply as they entered the Castle to get ready for the day ahead.

**XXX**

Summer continued to pass as Harry and his friends kept busy. There were Order meetings that the adults had to attend, but they also met together with Harry and his friends once a week, to discuss their own plans and observations.

They had all had the blinders effectively ripped away, and spent most of the Order meetings watching Dumbledore carefully. All were amazed at how many times the leader of the light trotted out the phrase 'for the greater good', and how manipulative he was to get his way, all while hiding behind his grandfather personality and twinkling eyes.

Snape was officially introduced as their newest ally, and though he didn't actually use the words, he was happy to be involved in a group that had a leader that didn't force him into anything, or blackmail him into doing what they wanted.

The end of July came before they even realized it, and Harry and Neville once more had a shared birthday party on the thirty-first. As the day fell on a Wednesday, Cedric couldn't be there, but Fred and George took the day off of preparing their shop for opening day in less than a week, to spend the time with their friends and family.

The morning was spent playing Quidditch, and after a remarkable buffet prepared by the house elves, Harry and Neville spent most of the afternoon opening gifts.

Neville's were, of course, mostly Herbology related, while Harry received many books in various subjects.

Both teenagers enjoyed the day; they spent so much of their time training, it was nice to take a day off to just relax.

**XXX**

The next day, Harry and his friends were eating breakfast after their morning run, when a tap at the window drew their attention.

Hermione squealed excitedly, hurrying to let in several owls. "It's our results!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot about them!"

She passed out letters to Harry, Ron, Neville, and Susan.

Feeling his stomach try to reject the meal he had just consumed, Harry opened the letter slowly.

_Passing scores:_

_O: Outstanding_

_E: Exceeds Expectations_

_A: Acceptable_

_Failing scores:_

_P: Poor_

_D: Dreadful_

_T: Troll_

_OWL results for Harry James Potter_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Charms: O_

_Transfiguration: O_

_Potions: O_

_Ancient Runes: E_

_Arithmancy: O_

_Care of Magical Creatures: E_

_History: E_

_Herbology: E_

_Astronomy: A_

He felt a knot in his chest loosen, relief seeping in.

Minerva held out a hand and he passed over his results. She read them over and then looked up at her charge, smiling. "Very good, Harry. I'm proud of you."

Harry smiled and nodded his thanks.

Hermione glanced over at him. "How did you do?" she asked, passing over her own results, as Harry took his letter from Minerva and gave it to his bushy-haired friend.

Hermione's results were expected, Harry noted. Mostly Outstandings, with an Exceeds Expectations in Defense.

They passed around their results, and Harry congratulated Ron, Neville, and Susan on their scores.

Ron had received one O, in Charms, three E's, in Defense, Transfiguration, and Potions, and three A's, in Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, and Herbology. He had, somewhat predictably, failed History and Divination.

Neville had gotten the expected O in Herbology, as well as, surprisingly for him but not for Harry, an O in Defense; E's in Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions, A's in Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Astronomy; and he, like Ron, had failed Divination and History.

Susan had done well also, with an O in Charms, Potions, and Defense, and E's in everything else.

Minerva congratulated all of them, and mentioned that school letters would most likely be sent out within the next day or so.

Blaise, Luna, and Daphne Flooed over shortly after, and the two Slytherin sixth years shared their own results. Both had passed everything except History, and done well with mainly O's and E's.

The rest of the day was spent with Sirius and Remus putting the teenagers through their paces. Blaise, Luna, and Daphne, while newcomers, meshed quite well with the others, and were definitely improving. None of them had been slouches on the battlefield beforehand, but under the two Marauders, they were learning new tricks, and fine-tuning the ones they already had under their belt.

**XXX**

Snape held in his grimace as he opened the door to allow several less than welcome guests into his house. He refused to call it a home, since he really had no desire to actually live here. He had left his father's house immediately after graduating from Hogwarts, with intentions never to return. After the bitter man's death, he decided that the house on Spinner's End would make a decent hidey-hole, and had taken up residence, performing a few charms to put the deeds in his name, and more than a few wards to ensure no one knew he was there.

Bellatrix Lestrange sneered at the Potions master as she brushed passed him.

Narcissa Malfoy followed her sister, though her expression was carefully blank, as the three of them made their way into the sitting room.

"Lestrange," Snape glowered. "Narcissia. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The sarcasm in his voice was easy to pick up on, but both women ignored it.

Bellatrix's sneer deepened. "Cut the pleasantries, Snape. This isn't a social call. You weren't at the last meeting, and I find myself curious as to why."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "The Dark Lord was aware that I would not be present," he replied calmly. "Dumbledore required my presence, and to not be there could cause him to question my loyalties. Surely you can understand the delicate nature of spy work?"

Bellatrix glared. "Dumbledore may not be the only one questioning your loyalties, Snape. You've been in the old man's pocket for so long, perhaps you've switched sides."

Snape glanced over at Narcissa. Mrs. Malfoy did not look like the well-to-do Lady of the House of Malfoy he had known for so long. There was something in her gaze that set alarm bells ringing. Fear.

He turned back to Bellatrix. "Fortunately for me, I don't have to answer to you," he replied, his voice silkily smooth. "The Dark Lord trusts me, that should be enough for you."

Bellatrix huffed. "I use my own eyes, Snape, and I think you're too close to Dumbledore and his order of the flaming turkey."

Snape almost allowed himself a small smile. "Are you questioning the Dark Lord?"

Bellatrix shook her head, suddenly wary. "Of course not."

Snape leaned forward slightly. "Yet you question his trust in me. Tread carefully, Bellatrix. Those who question the Dark Lord have a habit of not living much longer afterwards."

Bellatrix's sneer returned. "Be careful yourself, Snape. One of these days your smooth tongue will not be able to get you out of trouble." She turned on her heel and headed towards the door. "Come, Narcissa."

Narcissa studied Snape for a moment longer, before she nodded austerely, and followed her sister out.

Snape waited until the wards told him they had departed, before he sat down with a heavy sigh. Bellatrix would always be suspicious, but Narcissa's attitude was surprising. He felt that the Lady Malfoy was coming to the same harsh conclusions that he himself had reached many years earlier: there was nothing to be gained by following the Dark Lord. He wondered if there was some way he could speak with her privately, but knew it would have to be handled with care. And he wouldn't tell Dumbledore his theories; he had no desire for Narcissa to become a pawn in the old man's schemes.

But perhaps he should share this information with Minerva and Sirius. Both were capable of keeping the secret, with strong Occlumency shields, and more than that, they weren't manipulative like Albus was. He resolved to bring up his opinions and observations the next time he met with them.

**XXX**

Just as Minerva had estimated, Hogwarts letters arrived as Harry and his friends were eating breakfast the next morning. Blaise, Luna, and Daphne were there as well, having joined the others for their morning run.

Several owls tapped at the window to get the attention of the group, and Minerva went to gather the letters, handing them out with a smile to the teenagers.

Harry was distracted as he broke the seal on his letter, by Ginny's squeal of excitement.

He looked up, and smiled proudly at seeing the shiny badge in her hands. "Congratulations, Gin," he beamed. "I knew you'd get it."

"I find myself quite looking forward to the coming year," Luna's dreamy voice came from a few places down the table.

They all looked at her, and found her holding a similar badge to Ginny's.

Blaise smiled, and leaned over to give his girlfriend a peck on the cheek. "Congratulations, Luna."

Luna glanced over, her expression sharpening slightly as she met her boyfriend's gaze. "Yes, I do think this year will be a good one," she commented airily, her smile widening.

Ginny cleared her throat. "Open your letter, Harry. If I'm not mistaken, you've got a shiny badge of your own in there."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I'm already a Prefect," he commented, chuckling when Ginny huffed and slapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"You know what I meant," The redhead glared. "Now open your letter."

Harry shook his head, sighing, a put-upon expression on his face. "Pushy, pushy," he grumbled. Ginny's glare intensified, and Harry winced slightly. "All right, I'm doing it."

He opened the letter the rest of the way, and as expected, a shiny badge fell out. He picked it up and ran a finger across the gold 'C'.

Ginny beamed. "You're going to be great," she kissed him on the cheek.

Harry smiled, and looked at Ron. "I might need your brain to help me come up with strategies, mate," he offered. "You up for it?"

Ron nodded, grinning. "We're going to kill it this year," he replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but her expression was fond as she looked at her boyfriend.

Harry nodded his agreement, but it was Ginny who replied. "Was there ever any doubt?" she asked rhetorically. "I mean, now that there are starting chaser positions open, I'll be playing regularly, of course we're going to wipe the Pitch with the other teams."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure you're going to make the team?" he asked impishly. "Last I checked, the Captain has final say."

Ginny returned the raised eyebrow.

Harry lasted approximately three seconds, before he caved. "Of course, Gin, you're amazing. Of course you'll make the team."

The others all laughed at Harry's pleading expression, and Ginny's satisfied smirk, as they left the table and headed down to the training room.

**XXX**

The next few days passed relatively quietly. Sirius had to spend most of it in the courtroom as the Wizengamot tried all of the Death Eaters they had captured at the Ministry in June.

He told the others what was going on each evening, but he was pretty tired from having to deal with all the politics.

Fortunately, everything was going smoothly, and by the end of the week, all of the Death Eaters, including Malfoy, would undoubtedly be sentenced to Azkaban.

Fred and George had their shop opening towards the end of the week, and after a lot of convincing, Harry and his friends convinced their parents and guardians to let them check it out.

When Harry and Minerva arrived at Diagon Alley, along with Molly, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Susan, and Neville, they found it to be just a shadow of its former glory.

People rushed about to complete their business, heads down and cloaks drawn tight around them.

It hurt Harry to see, especially when he compared today's visit with his first trip to the Alley, before his first year. The place had been so joyful then; noisy, and colorful, and cheerful. Now, it was dark and gloomy, even with the sun shining down on them.

"All right," Molly said, hurrying them down the street, her eyes darting around looking for threats. "Just a quick trip, understand? We get your school supplies, we visit the twins' shop, and then we go home."

They all nodded, and made their way to Gringotts first.

Susan and Neville had been given funds by their guardians, so Minerva suggested the teenagers wait in the lobby while she and Molly went to their vaults.

Harry bit his lip and glanced at Ginny, before he turned back to Minerva. "I was hoping to go to the Gryffindor vault," he informed her softly. "Do we have time?"

Minerva hesitated, but seeing the look in Harry's eyes, she nodded reluctantly. He wouldn't have asked unless he really needed to go down there. "All right," she agreed. "We will take a cart then –"

Harry tilted his head slightly. "How about if Ginny and I go to my vault, and meet you back here? It would save some time."

Minerva narrowed her eyes, but agreed with his plan, and the four of them made their way to the Goblin tellers.

Soon enough, Harry and Ginny were sitting in a cart heading down to the lowest level of Gringotts.

Their Goblin guide stayed in the cart as Harry and Ginny stepped out, though he did try to warn them of the wards on the vault as they walked up to the door. "Only blood relations can enter," he called out.

Harry glanced behind him, and nodded. "I know," he replied calmly. "But would I be correct in assuming that our… bond, would give Ginny special circumstances?"

The Goblin considered, and then nodded slowly. "Perhaps," he acquiesced.

Harry smiled and touched his hand to the magnificent griffin carving on the door. It melted away, and he stepped inside.

Ginny followed him, relieved to find that she could enter the vault, and then stopped, shocked, at what she saw around her.

Piles of gold, silver, and bronze. Weapons. Jewelry. Bookcases filled to capacity. There was even furniture.

"Harry," she breathed, captivated by the sight.

Harry looked at her, and shrugged. _I know, it's pretty impressive,_ he agreed.

Ginny snapped out of it, and moved forward to join him. _So what is it you need from here?_ she asked.

Harry moved immediately to the bookshelves. _The Goblins said that there might be information here that Gryffindor left. I'm hoping I can find it._

Ginny furrowed her brow. _What sort of information?_

Harry fingered a few books, and moved his hand over to several folders that were sitting on the shelf. He pulled them down and rifled through them.

_Harry?_ Ginny asked when there was no response.

Harry looked up, and smiled. _I think this is it,_ he said, his mental voice excited. _Information on the Gryffindor family, in particular, Lion's Castle, the house he had built for his youngest son to protect him_.

Ginny leaned forward. Harry had told her about what he knew of the Gryffindor family, including the journal he had found in this very vault the year before. She was just as curious as he was, but both knew the others would be waiting for them.

Harry looked at her. _I want to try something_, he said, his eyes sparkling.

Ginny nodded, and watched as Harry concentrated on the folders in his hands. A few moments later, when she was starting to wonder what he was trying to do, she felt a surge of magic leave his hands, and the folders shrunk down to the size of a matchbox.

Harry looked back up and grinned. _I was thinking it might be a good idea to develop this wandless magic talent,_ he informed her. _It could come in handy, especially in battle._

Ginny nodded, agreeing. _We need to get back, Harry, but we'll definitely work on that idea later._

Harry put the shrunken files in his pocket, and was about to join Ginny, when something on the shelf, right next to where he had found the files, caught his eye. He picked it up and flipped through it. His gasp caught Ginny's attention.

_Harry, what is it?_

Harry looked up, his eyes wide. _It's a book on Soul Bonds_, he explained, his fingers caressing the cover. _It's not one we found before, but I think Godric wrote it himself._

Ginny smiled eagerly. _Take it, maybe we'll learn more about our bond._

Harry nodded, pocketing the book as the two headed back to the lobby.

The others were all waiting for them, and without further delay, they headed back into the Alley.

The first stop was Madam Malkins, where Hermione and Neville needed new robes. The others could make due with the ones they had, thanks to charms that allowed the fabric to extend a few inches for growing room.

Harry knew he'd probably need new robes next year, but for now, he was all right. It was amazing how much he had grown since leaving his aunt and uncle's house. He was rapidly approaching six feet now, and if he was lucky, he might even pass it within the next year. Ron was still taller, of course, but he was pleased to have lessened the gap.

After Madam Malkins, they stopped to buy parchment and quills, and then potions ingredients for those who were still planning on taking the subject. Namely, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and Susan, as Ron and Neville hadn't received the required 'O' in order to make it into Snape's NEWT class.

In Flourish and Blotts, they picked up their schoolbooks, and then made their way back into the Alley.

Molly glanced at her daughter. "Ginny, I need to get you a present for making Prefect," she commented. "What would you like?"

Ginny blinked, startled. "Like?"

Molly nodded. "I got your brothers presents for making Prefect, so I need to get you one as well. What do you want? You don't need a new broom, so I could get you some new dress robes if you like."

Ginny glanced at Harry, who was smiling proudly at her, and then back at her mother. "I would like a pet," she commented, looking over at the Magical Menagerie.

Molly nodded again. "Would you like an owl? We got Percy an owl –" She cut herself off at the mention of her third eldest son. Percy still hadn't contacted them, even with Fudge out of office and Harry's story on You-Know-Who's return proved true, and she missed him.

Ginny bit her lip. "Not an owl… I was thinking I'd like a cat."

Molly blinked, clearing herself from the unhappy thoughts, and smiled wanly at her daughter. "Of course, dear. Shall we go inside and take a look around?"

Ginny nodded, grinning. "Thanks, mum."

Molly looked at the others. "How about we meet you all at the shop in a bit?"

Minerva nodded, gesturing for the teenagers to come with her.

Harry glanced at Ginny, and she nodded slightly. He turned to his guardian. "Can I go with Ginny and Mrs. Weasley?"

Minerva and Molly shared a look, before they agreed, and Harry and Ginny followed the Weasley matriarch into the Menagerie.

Unlike Eeylops Owl Emporium, the Magical Menagerie hosted many different types of animals, from owls, to cats, toads, snakes, and rats.

Ginny led them over to the section with cats, and walked down the row, searching for some sort of connection.

Harry followed her quietly, knowing that she wanted to concentrate. She was looking for the same sort of bond that he had with Hedwig.

Ginny felt something pull her towards the end of the aisle, so she followed her instinct, and found herself standing in front of a small kitten.

It was mostly white, fading to a darker gray on its paws and ears.

Its eyes were a startling blue, and Ginny found she couldn't look away.

She reached out with one hand and let the kitten sniff her. It did so warily, before closing its eyes and rubbing up against the offered appendage, purring.

Ginny smiled, and pet the kitten. "Hello little one," she murmured. "How would you like to come home with me?"

The kitten opened its eyes, and blinked slowly. Taking that as a yes, Ginny picked the small animal up and turned around.

Harry smiled, looking at the content kitten. It looked very comfortable in Ginny's arms.

He reached out and offered his own hand, and after a moment, the kitten was purring loudly as he rubbed its head. "I think you found a keeper," he commented.

The shopkeeper came up to them at that moment. "Hello there young lady, find something you like?"

Ginny nodded, looking at the kitten in her arms. "I'll take this one."

The shopkeeper inclined his head. "She's not usually so docile," he sounded puzzled. "Got some kneazle in her, so watch out for her bite. Just about two months old now. You want a carry box for her?"

Ginny nodded, and the shopkeeper left, collecting the carry box, along with a few other things Ginny would need to take care of her new pet.

Molly looked a little worried at how much everything would cost, but Harry didn't give her time to argue as he pulled out his moneybag. "Mrs. Weasley, the kitten is your present. Everything needed to take care of her is mine."

Molly almost protested, but decided it wasn't worth it, and just sighed and nodded.

As they left the store, Harry glanced down at the kitten. "What are you going to name her?" he asked curiously.

Ginny bit her lip, considering. It wasn't until they reached the door to Fred and George's shop that she came up with an answer. "Selene," she replied firmly. "Like the goddess of the moon."

Harry nodded, smiling. "I like it."

Molly's moan drew them out of their conversation. The Weasley matriarch was staring with dismay at her sons' new shop. "What were they thinking?" she muttered.

Harry and Ginny looked at the storefront, and started chuckling. The whole thing was done in a mess of clashing colors – purples, and oranges, and greens… it looked horrible, and yet, it was so the twins.

"Come on," he opened the door. "Let's get inside."

Once inside, it became apparent that Molly would not need to worry about her sons supporting themselves. The store was packed.

Harry recognized a few of his classmates as he and Ginny split their focus between looking at the wares on the shelves, and searching for their friends and family.

There was everything from Skiving Snackboxes – value packs full of candies like Fever Fudge and Nosebleed Nougat – to Extendable Ears, which allowed a person to hear a conversation taking place a distance away (perfect for every prankster!), Reusable Hangman, the WonderWitch line – ten second pimple vanisher, love potions, and the like – and even a section dedicated to muggle joke products.

Fred sidled up next to Harry as he studied the various muggle products. "Put that in for dad," the Weasley twin commented.

Harry glanced over, and smiled. "I bet he'll like that," he replied.

Fred nodded. "We figured there were others like dad, who are fascinated by muggle things, and they might like it as well. It probably won't be a big moneymaker, but it'll amuse some people."

A shout drew his attention away for a moment, while Harry continued to look around.

He picked up a Skiving Snackbox and looked it over.

"Anything you want, it's on the house."

Harry looked back up and saw Fred standing next to him again. He shook his head. "I can pay," he argued.

Fred just looked at him sternly. "Anything for our silent partner," he said, his tone giving no room for argument. "Pick whatever you want. We won't accept any money from you."

Harry wanted to argue, but Fred hurried away at another shout, so Harry just shrugged and turned back to the shelf. He added a few more products to the Snackbox in his arms, and moved on, running into Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who were checking out the Extendable Ears.

"These are remarkable," Hermione commented. "The magic the twins have used to create all of this is really quite extraordinary."

Harry smiled. "Most people don't realize how brilliant Fred and George really are," he replied. "With all their joking and pranks, they just overlook the work that goes into actually pulling those pranks off. If the twins had actually applied themselves to their studies, I think they would rival you for OWLs," he looked at Hermione.

They all looked a little startled, and rueful, realizing that they were all guilty of underestimating the twins at times.

Ron shrugged. "If you'd seen them in action for fifteen years, you'd really understand their brilliance."

Ginny snorted. "True. Those two really know how to use their brains."

Fred chose that moment to join them. "You got money to pay for that?" he asked Ron, raising an eyebrow.

Ron looked down at his armful of Snackboxes, Extendable Ears, Wildfire Whiz-bangs, and Portable Swamps. "Can't I get some sort of discount?" he argued.

Fred shook his head. "That'll be nine sickles, three knuts."

Ron's eyes widened. "But I'm your brother!" he protested.

Fred raised an eyebrow. "So? We've got to do business, little bro. Nine sickles. I'll knock off the three knuts."

Ron grumbled and walked away. His back turned, he didn't see Fred's smirk. "Make sure you put those back where you found them!" he called after his brother's retreating figure.

Ron made a rude gesture behind him, which was unfortunately caught by Mrs. Weasley, who started berating him for his impoliteness.

The teenagers all chuckled, before Fred pulled Harry aside. "Come here," he said, weaving through the crowd. "I want to show you something."

Harry followed the redhead into a side room. This section of the store was much smaller and quieter. Fred gestured to the shelves. "Our Defense Line," he stated proudly. "Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators, Shield Cloaks, and the like."

Harry looked around him. "This is impressive," he commented.

Fred shrugged. "We thought we'd take a page out of your book and be prepared. This line should help us out with our little Dark Lord problem."

Harry smiled. "I think it'll really come in handy."

A young witch stuck her head through the curtain that blocked off this section of the store. "Mr. Weasley, we need you out front."

Fred puffed at the words 'Mr. Weasley'. "Be there in a flash, Verity." He looked back at Harry. "Anything you want, Harry. That covers this room as well. I'll see you later."

Harry nodded and looked around the room, adding a few items to the pile in his arms, before he went to rejoin his friends and family.

George bagged all his items at the register, before Minerva and Mrs. Weasley determined that it was time to go home.

Ron had ended up buying a Skiving Snackbox and a pair of Extendable Ears, not having enough to afford anything else. Ginny, Neville, and Susan had bought a few prank items of their own, while Hermione had mostly abstained, not being into practical jokes, though she did purchase a few trinkets from the WonderWitch line. One of the perfumes smelled nice, and fortunately, there were no enchantments on it, other than to enhance the smell.

They all remained on their guard as they hurried down the dreary Alley and back to the Leaky Cauldron, to use the Floo.

_Please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: not mine**

Sirius sighed wearily as he sank into one of the chairs in the sitting room, tired from the weeklong Wizengamot trials. He was glad that all the Death Eaters had been sentenced to Azkaban, and not one of them had been able to buy their way out. With the Ministry in much more capable hands this time around, there was less of a chance of that happening, but Sirius had still been worried. There were a lot of things that could happen to disrupt the flow of justice.

But thankfully, nothing had happened, and the Death Eaters had been transferred to the prison, which was now under the control of wizard guards, since the Dementors had joined Voldemort earlier that year.

There was still a risk, but Amelia had increased the number of guards, and was working with several people to find a more suitable location to house the prisoners, since Azkaban wasn't as safe as it used to be.

A gong sounded throughout the Castle, and Sirius sat up quickly, turning towards the fireplace. That noise indicated that someone who was not keyed into the wards was calling.

Sure enough, Snape's head was floating in the fireplace as he looked over. Sirius stood up and walked over. "Severus," he greeted courteously. "Has something happened?"

Snape hid his uncertainty behind his stoic mask. "Black, may I come through?" He attempted not to show any contempt in his voice. Even though they had called a truce, of sorts, he still found himself remembering those hellish school years, when Black had pranked him mercilessly.

Sirius nodded. "Go ahead," he replied, stepping back as the Potions master's head disappeared for a moment, before the man himself appeared, brushing ash off his robes.

Once he had cleaned himself up a bit, he looked back at Sirius. "Is Minerva around?" he asked.

Sirius shook his head slightly. "She took Harry and his friends to get their school supplies today. They should be back soon, though."

Snape nodded his understanding.

Sirius frowned. "What's going on, Snape? Is something wrong?"

Snape bit his lip, his expression glazing over slightly. "I'm not sure," he answered the question. "It's certainly something… surprising. But it may be nothing."

The Floo flared to life, and the two men turned to watch as Harry and Minerva stepped through.

Minerva appeared momentarily startled to see her fellow professor standing there, but immediately composed herself. "Severus, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Snape shrugged with one shoulder. "I wished to speak with you two about something, if you have the time?"

Minerva nodded, and turned to Harry. "Why don't you go put your school supplies away, Harry. And then can you check in with Tibby about supper?"

Harry nodded, smiling a greeting at the Potions master as he left the room.

Once the adults were alone, Sirius gestured for them all to sit down as he pulled out his wand, enacting some of the privacy wards that were sown into several rooms in the Castle. Every sitting room and office, along with a couple of the bedrooms all had dormant wards set up, which made it much easier to raise them, rather than cast new wards each time.

"What's happened, Severus?" Minerva asked, worry seeping through in her tone and her expression.

Snape sighed. "I received a visit from Bellatrix and Narcissa a few days ago," he admitted.

Sirius furrowed his brow. "Do you think your cover's blown?" he asked, trying to ignore the slight twinge of worry that crept up at the thought.

Snape shook his head. "Bellatrix suspects, but then, she suspects everyone of duplicity. That's not what I wished to talk about." He paused, momentarily doubting what he had come here to do. He wasn't used to trusting people; Albus had said he'd help, but Snape knew he was more of a pawn than a valued human being to the headmaster. But Minerva and Sirius were different. They had to be.

Sirius shifted slightly. "What's going on, Snape? If there's an issue, maybe we can help."

Snape looked at Sirius, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I got the feeling Narcissa is finally learning the same lessons I did towards the end of the first war."

Minerva frowned. "What do you mean?"

Snape sighed again. "I believe the incarceration of her husband, along with Draco's… issues at the end of the year, have opened her eyes to the truth of the Dark Lord's power. I'm not sure it would be wise to approach her yet, but if I have some time to work on her, she may become a valuable addition."

Minerva and Sirius shared a look, before Minerva spoke. "How certain are you?" she asked brusquely. "To be blunt, we cannot afford mistakes. We can't afford for you to be wrong. I will not risk Harry's life for anything."

Sirius nodded, agreeing, and Snape grimaced. "If you give me some time to sound her out, I may be able to give you an answer in a few months. I wouldn't recommend telling her everything, but if she's willing to separate herself from the Dark Lord, then I think it would be worth it."

Sirius bit his lip. "Why us?" he asked curiously. When Snape looked confused, he elaborated. "Why come to us, rather than Albus?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. He thought it should be obvious. "For all his great speeches about second chances and the greater good, the man is too manipulative to trust. His second chances come with far too many strings attached." His eyes softened slightly. "I do care about Narcissa, and I don't want her forced into spying on the Dark Lord, for the promise of a free pass when his downfall comes." _The same way I was_. Though he didn't say it, both Sirius and Minerva understood.

Minerva nodded sharply. "Continue working on her, and tell us if you think she's willing to defect. We won't make her do anything she doesn't want to, and if she is unsafe in Malfoy Manor, we can certainly relocate her somewhere safe."

Sirius agreed. "My cousin may be cold, but she's got a good head on her shoulders. I hope that she is opening her eyes, Severus. I don't want to see her fall with Voldemort." He hesitated, and then sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm still debating about what to do with her in regards to the Black Family." Snape raised an eyebrow in silent question. Sirius shook his head slightly. "I cast out Bellatrix immediately after I took control, as well as reinstated Andromeda. But I don't know what to do with Narcissa. I thought I'd have a better idea if Lucius was ever unmasked as a Death Eater, but now that he has been… I still don't know."

"What did Andromeda say?" Minerva asked curiously. "Have you spoken with her about it?"

Sirius nodded, looking at his former professor. "She thought that if her sister proved deserving, I should give her a chance." He turned back to Snape. "If she renounces the Dark Lord and is willing to help us, I will dissolve her marriage to Lucius and take her back into the Black Family."

Snape frowned. "Help how? I won't let you use her as a spy."

Sirius shook his head quickly. "I won't force her to do anything. But if I remember correctly, my cousin is quite adept at potions and healing. There are many ways she could be useful that don't involve her putting herself in danger."

Snape nodded his head slowly. "I believe that would be acceptable," he replied. "We shall see what happens."

Sirius sighed and nodded once. "So it's basically wait and see, for now. Sounds good."

Snape inclined his head, standing up. "I will see you both tomorrow at the meeting, then."

Sirius and Minerva nodded, also standing, and said their farewells as the Potions master left through the Floo.

Once they were alone, Sirius almost collapsed back into the comfortable chair.

Minerva watched him sympathetically as he let out a long sigh. "How did it go today?" she asked compassionately, taking down the wards on the room.

Sirius groaned. "I'm glad it's over with, and they're all locked up now," he replied, his eyes closed.

Minerva sat back down as well. "Were you worried?" she asked curiously. "If Fudge were still in office, I could understand, but Amelia wouldn't let those people go free."

Sirius shrugged and opened his eyes. "I don't think there was a chance of them getting off, but most of them did it once before, so I guess anything's possible."

"It's much harder to pull off the Imperius excuse the second time around," Harry commented from the doorway.

The two adults turned quickly at his entrance, and Sirius nodded ruefully. "You're right, of course. I'm just a worrier, I guess."

Harry shrugged. "I think it's better to prepare of the worst and hope for the best," he commented. "So maybe it's a good thing you were waiting for something to go wrong. What did Professor Snape want?"

Sirius and Minerva shared a look, before Minerva replied carefully. "He wanted to speak with us about a potential new ally. I don't think we should discuss this now, but if his suggestion bares fruit, we will, of course, tell you."

Harry nodded, trusting his guardians, and not asking anymore. "Tippy says dinner's ready when we are."

Minerva smiled, and, the two followed the teenager to the dining room.

**XXX**

The next day, Saturday, Harry and his friends spent the morning in the practice room, with Blaise, Luna, Cedric, Fred, George, and Daphne working on their animagus transformation, while the others had separated to various tasks. Harry and Hermione were talking about the Wolfsbane Potion, and the ideas Harry had for working on a cure; nothing was really formed into anything close to a possibility that might work, and both teenagers knew that the chances of actually succeeding were slim; Ron and Neville were dueling; and Susan and Ginny were helping the newer additions on their transformation.

As noontime drew closer, Harry called them all together to talk. Normally, the teenagers would all go home after lunch, since Saturday afternoons were when the adults would meet to discuss the war and any updates, and they didn't want to be overheard. Harry was always present for those meetings, and the adults listened to his ideas.

When they were all seated in a circle, Harry spoke. "So, Jason said that you all have developed your Occlumency shields enough that you'll be able to hold off an attack long enough, which means I'd like to tell you a little more about the… situation. Not everything, until we feel you can hold out Dumbledore, but I think you should know some of it before this afternoon." He glanced at Ginny, and on her encouraging nod, he told Blaise, Luna, Cedric, and Daphne about the prophecy. Fred and George already knew it existed, but he would wait until their shields were better before he told them what it said. Once he was done, he took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "So… yeah. That's pretty much what we're dealing with. When your shields get a little stronger, I'll tell you what the prophecy says. I know I told you about meetings going on every Saturday afternoon, which is why you all had to leave after lunch. If you like, this week, you can stay." He looked around at the group. "All of you. Sirius and Aunt Minerva said it was all right." He let out a half snort. "Seems some of them have convinced the rest that we're going to be on the front lines in this war, and we deserve to be involved."

Ginny smirked. "Meaning, they managed to convince my mother, and she hates the idea, but my dad put in his two knuts and said we should be allowed to attend, so she's going along with it."

Harry chuckled. "Pretty much," he agreed.

Blaise smiled slightly. "You know I'm in," he said. He glanced at Daphne, and the two shared a knowing look. "Let's show the wizarding world what Slytherin is capable of."

Daphne nodded, her own grin widening. "They won't know what hit them."

Cedric laughed. "I'm glad you guys are on our side." He looked at Harry. "I'm totally in, Harry. Thank you for trusting me with this."

Harry shrugged, a little embarrassed. "I do trust you all. I just needed to make sure no one could take the information from you without your consent."

Luna shifted in her seat. "It was a logical plan," she put in dreamily. "You should not apologize."

Harry shrugged. "Sorry."

Ginny mock-glared at him. "What did she just say about apologizing?"

Harry grimaced. "Sorry."

Ginny growled lightly, then sighed and shook her head.

Harry glanced at her, and smiled slightly. "Sorry."

Everyone chuckled, and Harry led them upstairs to get something to eat.

**XXX**

Everyone was at the meeting that afternoon. They had taken to congregating in the library, so that they could accommodate the entire group. Arthur and Molly sat on one loveseat, while Bill and Fleur occupied another. Ted, Andromeda, Tonks, and Remus shared a sofa, as did Sirius, Amelia, Kingsley, and Minerva. Fred and George took up two chairs next to the loveseat their parents were using, and Snape sat off to one side, while Augusta took up another armchair next to Minerva. When Harry and his friends entered, they just sat on the floor and waited for the meeting to start.

It was pretty standard for the most part. Fred and George told the rest about their defense line, which was praised by the group as a whole; Tonks and Kingsley gave a report on what was going on inside the DMLE – mainly talking about Death Eater activity and raids they had participated in; the last person to speak that afternoon was Snape.

He stood up and faced the group, his face an expression of neutrality, as he reported on Voldemort's actions. "The Dark Lord is becoming more active," he informed them. "He's staying behind the lines, but I'm sure you've noticed the increase in Death Eater attacks."

They all nodded. Over the last month, they had responded to Death Eater raids in several muggle towns, unfortunately not always arriving in time to save all of the victims. In addition to almost thirty muggles that had been killed, four wizarding families had also been attacked, with five deaths reported.

It was sobering, but the truth was, the Aurors were spread too thin, and Dumbledore's Order was just too reactive to help much. They were fighting defense, and against Voldemort, that type of strategy just wouldn't work.

"There has to be some way to counter these attacks," Neville commented, looking around.

Snape glared at him. "Despite my position, the Dark Lord does not share all his plans with me, and I am not privy to every conversation he has. Further more, to divulge every plan for attack I know of would put my position in jeopardy."

Harry leaned forward, trying to pacify him. "Neville wasn't suggesting you put yourself in danger, Professor. But he is right that there has to be some way to at least try and learn of attacks in enough time to help." He furrowed his brow, and looked over at the twins. "Fred, George, you invented Extendable Ears. Is there any way you can create a listening device small enough that Professor Snape could plant it wherever Voldemort is using as a base?"

The twins immediately nodded, intrigued. "We'll see what we can do," George replied, already writing down a few notes on a piece of parchment he had in his hands. Next to him, Fred leaned over and pointed at something on the parchment. George frowned, and added another few words. Fred immediately grinned and nodded eagerly.

Harry smiled and looked back at the adults. They were all looking at him with varying degrees of surprise, fascination, or confusion. He shrugged. "Listening spells can be discovered, and the spell signature can be traced back to a specific person. But if the twins can come up with something small that can be stuck somewhere out of the way, it shouldn't show up on a scan of the room, as long as it's done right. Right?"

Hermione nodded eagerly. "Just like the muggle technology," she put in excitedly. "They have listening devices that they can use to get information."

Harry chuckled a little and nodded. "That's where I got the idea," he admitted. "We can't use the same technology as them, but we can adapt their ideas to fit our needs."

"An excellent idea," Minerva complimented. "I'm sure Messr's Weasley will rise to the challenge."

The twins gave mock salutes to their former professor, and then went back to their planning.

"There's one thing I don't understand," Ted commented, looking around. Of this group, only he, his wife, Augusta, Amelia, and the teenagers were not a part of The Order of the Phoenix. When everyone looked at him, he shrugged. "Why isn't Dumbledore being more…" He struggled to find a word, but Sirius beat him to it.

"Active?" Sirius supplied.

Ted nodded. "That works. Surely Dumbledore has the ability to counteract some of this. I mean, he's the only one You-Know-Who fears, right?"

"Well, I think Voldemort's pretty wary of some others, but you're right, Albus should be doing more." Sirius shook his head, sharing a knowing look with Minerva, before he turned back to the group and sighed. "We've speculated a bit, but what it comes down to is that damn prophecy." They had all been informed of the existence of the prophecy, even if only Harry, Ginny, Minerva, and Sirius knew what it said. Sirius looked sympathetically at Harry. "Albus believes in it, so I think he's taking a back seat to the war, because he thinks that Harry will be the one to defeat Voldemort. And…" he shook his head, annoyed. "Albus has this idea of leniency, and second chances. He thinks that all Death Eaters can be redeemed. And that's just not the case. Can you see Bellatrix, or Rodolphus ever coming to the light side?" Augusta and Neville growled at the mention of the Lestranges. "Or Avery, or Macnair… these Death Eaters have murdered countless times, but Dumbledore would still try to integrate them back into society. He just doesn't understand that sometimes, the best thing to do is put the rabid dog down."

"A crude way of putting it, but accurate," Augusta nodded regally. "Albus may be a leader in the wizarding world, but that just makes him all the more dangerous. Particularly since so many people still look to him for everything."

Minerva sighed. "Albus used to be someone I trusted completely. I never thought he was capable of such duplicity, but everything I've seen and observed over the last couple of years just convinces me that I can't trust him anymore."

Harry shifted, drawing their attention when he began to speak. "They're right, Dumbledore trusts the prophecy. He believes that it's going to come down to me and Voldemort. The real clincher though is that he wasn't planning on giving me any training. He was just content to sit back and watch, and I know he's let some questionable things slide, in the name of his 'greater good'." He clenched his teeth. "But who gets to decide what the greater good is? Why Dumbledore. What gives him the right to interfere with my life? He's not my guardian, so why did he have the authority to place me with my aunt and uncle? And why does he care so much what I do outside of school? Legally, as far as I'm concerned, he's just my headmaster. So why is he so interested?"

Several of them nodded, and everyone certainly agreed. Albus' motives were muddled at best. What was the old man planning?

One thing was for sure, whatever his plan had been, Harry being removed from Privet Drive had not been a part of it. They all felt a sense of satisfaction in knowing that his plans had been shot to hell.

The meeting broke up shortly after that, and most of the adults left. Molly and Arthur returned home so that Molly could get a start on supper, followed quickly by Kingsley, the Tonkses with Remus, Amelia and Susan, Augusta and Neville, Blaise, Daphne, and Cedric, all returning to their own homes. Fred and George left as well, headed back to their flat to continue developing their listening device, as well as a few more ideas for their Defense line. Hermione had to go home as well, so it was just Harry, Ron, and Ginny left with Minerva and Sirius.

Harry glanced over at Ginny, and she looked back, knowing what he was thinking, even without sharing thoughts. She nodded, sighing slightly. _We have to tell them, Harry. We've put it off for far too long as it is. We might not get an opening like this again. And you know they'll react better than my mum will._

Harry agreed, and turned to Ron. "Ron, Ginny and I need to talk to Aunt Minerva and Sirius about something. Do you mind going home?"

Ron frowned, looking between his best mate and his sister. Something was going on, and he wanted to know what it was. But he trusted them, and if they said they needed to talk to the adults alone, he would let them be. If they wanted to tell him, they would. He nodded. "I'll see you later," he said, before leaving the library and making his way towards the Floo.

Sirius and Minerva shared a confused look, before they sat back down on one of the loveseats.

Harry and Ginny followed their lead, and took the other loveseat. The two teenagers grasped hands tightly, looking very nervous.

Minerva frowned slightly. "Harry? Ginny? What's going on?"

Sirius groaned. "Oh Merlin, please don't tell me Ginny's pregnant."

Both teenagers turned bright red. "No!" they exclaimed in unison, utterly embarrassed.

Minerva let out a sigh of relief. Thank Merlin. "Then what is the matter?"

Harry bit his lip and swallowed harshly. "What do you know about soul bonds?" he asked tentatively.

Minerva frowned, but it was Sirius who replied. "There are many different types of bonds, some of the weaker ones being used in weddings. They give spouses a deeper insight to their partner, and sometimes even an emotional connection. There are also life bonds, formed when someone saves another person, risking their own life in the process…" he trailed off, and looked, wide-eyed, at Harry. "The Chamber," he whispered.

Harry grimaced and shook his head. "Close, Padfoot, but not exactly. We thought that may have something to do with it, but there's one major difference between life bonds and true soul bonds. With a true soul bond, the couple is able to speak mentally. And life bonds don't necessarily mean the pair will be a couple. They'll just always be in the each other's lives." The two adults looked at him, and raised their eyebrows. Harry shrugged. "We looked up all the information we could, to try and figure out what was going on."

Sirius leaned forward. "So the two of you are soul bonded." He was amazed, and his voice reflected it.

Harry and Ginny nodded. "In my fourth year, Ginny's third," Harry explained, shifting slightly as his grip on Ginny's hand tightened. "It was the night I was chosen as a champion. Early the next morning, technically, I guess." He and Ginny shared a secretive look, remembering how it felt to have that bond snap into place. "We kissed for the first time, and I could just… feel her. like she was always a part of me, but I just had to realize it."

Ginny smiled and nodded. "That's an accurate description. It took another couple of months before we could communicate silently, and that's when we knew that it was a true soul bond, not a life bond."

"Why wait this long to tell us?" Minerva asked, a little shakily. There hadn't been a reported soul bond in at least six hundred years.

Harry shrugged, and Ginny tensed slightly. "We weren't quite sure what it meant, at first, and then…" He looked at Ginny. "It's sort of private. We didn't really feel comfortable sharing."

"So what changed?" Sirius asked curiously.

Harry looked at his godfather. "I can feel the bond getting stronger. Sharptooth told us last year that it hadn't been completed yet." He and Ginny both blushed, recalling the circumstances that would lead to their bond being completed. They had made a promise that it wouldn't happen for another year, and they would stick to that deal.

"You talked to Sharptooth about this?"

Harry nodded ruefully. "Apparently Goblins can sense the bond. As can other magical races. He told me that in the eyes of the Goblins, I was emancipated the moment the bond snapped into place. I'm entitled to my full inheritance, and…" he gulped and looked at Ginny. "Technically, we're married."

Ginny reached under her collar to pull out the necklace she never took off. With a whispered word, she dispelled the Disillusionment charm Harry had put on the chain.

Sirius and Minerva could only look on in astonishment as Ginny showed them the engagement ring Harry had given her the year before. "Harry gave me this on my birthday last summer. We decided that it wouldn't be practical for me to wear it on my finger, so I wear it on this chain. It's spelled so that only Harry and I can see it." She looked over at her husband, and her expression turned fiery, as she continued, "When the time is right, I'll wear it openly, but for now, this is enough."

The two continued to stare at each other for a few more moments, before Minerva cleared her throat, interrupting the moment.

Harry coughed, embarrassed, as he turned his attention back to the adults. "We know we should have told you before, but like we said, it's personal. But we figured, you guys are my guardians, and Ginny's parents… well I'm trusting her to not let Mrs. Weasley kill me when we do talk to them. But you all deserve to know."

Minerva's eyes narrowed slightly. "You've been using your abilities to mind-speak in dueling practice, haven't you."

It wasn't a question. Harry winced and nodded. "It does come in handy," he admitted.

Minerva shook her head. No wonder they had beaten her and Sirius in that duel. Well, she had to admit, the two were pretty talented even without any special skills. "Anything else you'd like to tell us?" she asked sardonically, hoping that that was it.

The two teenagers shared a look, and Sirius sighed. "What else could there be?" he asked incredulously.

Harry and Ginny stood up and stepped back so that they could have some room, before they transformed into their phoenix forms simultaneously.

Sirius and Minerva were both gaping a minute later, then the teenagers changed back.

"Yeah," Harry rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "There's that."

"How…" Minerva's voice seemed to fail her.

Harry shrugged. "We don't know. When we went into the animagus trance, we saw two forms. We managed to complete the phoenix transformation a few months ago, and now we can turn into both."

"What about the abilities?" Sirius asked eagerly, getting over his shock.

Harry bit his lip. "I've been experimenting with the flame traveling, but haven't managed to make it work yet. I'm not sure about the healing tears, but I did manage to lift a sofa while in the form."

"Wicked," Sirius grinned. "I'm glad you told us, though of course, I wish you had done so earlier. But I understand why you didn't. I do agree that it might be best to keep this a secret, gives you an extra advantage."

"Not to mention, if you do get that flame traveling ability to work, it could give you a way out of a sticky situation, even if wards have been put up," Minerva added. "Phoenixes are known for their capability of traveling through anti-apparation and anti-portkey wards."

Harry and Ginny nodded. "We were thinking that as well," Ginny said.

Minerva nodded sharply. "Very well. We will all go to the Burrow tomorrow and speak with Molly and Arthur about your bond. This is a conversation we should all have together."

"You know, since apparently, we're already family," Sirius winked. "You going to ask them if you can call them mum and dad?"

Harry winced and shook his head forcefully.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I should get home, it's nearly suppertime."

She gave Harry a kiss before leaving the library, and Sirius, Minerva, and Harry went in search of their own dinner.

_Please review!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: not mine**

Harry was sure that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to kill him as he Flooed over to the Burrow the next morning. Sirius and Minerva followed soon after, and before he was prepared, they joined Ginny and her parents in the sitting room.

Though confused, Molly had impressed upon Ron the need for privacy, and understanding that it had something to do with the conversation Harry and Ginny had had with Minerva and Sirius the day before, Ron agreed, heading back up to his room.

Bill had left to go spend the day with Fleur, and as the twins no longer lived at home, the house was quiet as the small group settled down into their seats, after Minerva warded the room against eavesdroppers.

Molly frowned as she did so, and once they were settled, she wasted no time in questioning the situation. "What's going on, here? Why did you need to speak with us?"

Minerva and Sirius looked to the two teenagers, and, gulping, Harry proceeded to explain to the Weasleys about soul bonds. When he finished, he took a deep breath and looked at Ginny's parents. "Almost two years ago, Ginny and I kissed for the first time, and our soul bond began to solidify."

Molly gasped and started crying, while Arthur just nodded like he had expected it from the way the conversation began.

"Oh, my baby!" Molly sobbed. "You're both too young!"

Ginny shook her head. "Mum, age is just a number. Neither Harry nor I have been a child in a while. I thought you understood that, after you agreed that we would be involved in this war. This soul bond has nothing to do with age. It means that Harry and I were destined to be together. We were meant to be together, from the moment I was born. Neither of us was forced into something we didn't want, mum."

Harry nodded. "Mrs. Weasley, soul bonds are created completely from love. I know we're a little… younger than most, but I know that I love Ginny, and I don't need this bond to tell me that I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Mrs. Weasley's crying intensified, but now it was from happiness as she lurched forward and gathered both teenagers in a tight hug. "Oh my babies," she whispered.

Harry swallowed harshly as he heard her include him in that statement. Molly and Arthur had been like surrogate parents for him, ever since that first summer he had escaped to the Burrow. He was understandably emotional to hear that she was including him when she thought of her children.

Pulling back, Molly whipped out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.

Harry took a deep breath, and looked at his… in-laws. Wow, that would take almost as much getting used to as thinking of Ginny as his wife. "According to the Goblins, Ginny and I are married." He had to pause for a moment as Mrs. Weasley let out a gasp and another sobbing cry. Ginny reached out and grasped Harry's hand, squeezing tightly. Harry looked over at her and smiled softly. He turned back to Molly and Arthur. "Under their laws, I'm entitled to my inheritance, and as my wife, Ginny shares in my wealth. I made the executive decision not to receive my Lordship ring, since that would draw unnecessary attention. If we wanted to, we could move into Potter Manor, and no one could say anything about it." He saw Molly and Arthur about to object, so he hurried on, "We don't want to alienate anyone. We don't want to put any of you in an uncomfortable position. Even with this bond, we know we're still young. Neither of us is planning on moving out any time soon."

He cleared his throat, and felt a knot in his chest loosen at the proud smiles Sirius and Minerva were wearing. "That being said, you need to understand that we're not children. We'll promise to exercise responsibility and restraint, and you'll agree to treat us like adults."

Molly opened her mouth to speak, but Arthur cut her off, nodding his head. "That sounds like a reasonable deal." Molly looked at her husband beseechingly, but Arthur sighed and shook his head. "No, Molly, he's right. They're not children anymore, and we can trust them to be responsible." He looked at the two teenagers. "I don't want to lose my baby girl. Now, I think you were right to not accept your Lordship ring just yet, Harry. And in the same vein, it would undoubtedly call undue attention if you were to call us mum and dad, but perhaps you should start calling us Molly and Arthur. And may I say, welcome to the family, son."

Harry felt himself choke up just a little at Arthur's gentle smile, and Ginny leaned into his side, grinning at her father's attitude. Molly's crying hadn't subsided, but she hurried forward and gathered her daughter and new son-in-law in a firm embrace. "Please," she sniffed, "call me Molly. I'm so sorry, it's just so much to take in."

She pulled back, and Ginny leaned forward slightly. "I know, mum. But you have to trust that you raised me well. And Harry's a good man, you already know that."

Molly sniffed again. "I do trust you, Ginny. I'm just not ready to let my baby go."

Ginny smiled tearfully. "I'll always be your baby, mum. But I'm not the little girl who used to run around the yard chasing butterflies anymore." Harry snorted lightly at the mental image, and Ginny dug her elbow into his side. "I've grown up, and I know I've still got a ways to go, but you need to have faith that I'll make the right choices."

Molly's crying started anew, and Arthur nodded approvingly.

Minerva and Sirius were impressed by the level of maturity the two teenagers were displaying.

With the heavy discussions over, the adults sent Harry and Ginny off to find Ron, while they stayed behind to talk more about this new development.

"Why did they wait so long to tell us?" Molly asked, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "How would you have taken the news if your thirteen year old daughter told you she was married?" he asked rhetorically.

Arthur snorted. "We would have locked her in her room until she graduated," he agreed ruefully.

Minerva nodded, her stern gaze compassionate. "They didn't feel like they could tell us, because we wouldn't have understood back then. I think it's a good thing they waited until they felt safe. And I am glad that they trusted us eventually."

Arthur nodded his agreement. "It can't have been easy for them. But that doesn't really matter. We can't change it, and personally, I don't think I want to." Molly looked over at him, confused, and Arthur took her hands in his, his expression serious but compassionate. "Can you think of anyone better than Harry for our girl, Molly?" Molly sighed and shook her head. Arthur's smile widened. "Harry will be sure to keep her as safe as she'll let him." He chuckled. "But let's face it, we raised a spitfire."

Molly joined in, in his mirth. "That's true," she allowed. "And you are right." She looked around at Sirius and Minerva as well. "You're all right. I made the decision over a year ago to stop treating my children like… well, children. They're going to be involved in this war whether I like it or not, so I have to believe that they will be able to defend themselves. And if I believe that, then I have to believe that they are old enough to make their own decisions. But I'm not ready to be a grandmother just yet," she stated firmly.

Minerva paled slightly at the implication, but Sirius just shook his head. "Harry won't let that happen." He saw their confused expressions, and he sighed. "There's no chance that Harry will even consider the possibility of starting a family until Voldemort's dead. He won't want his child to grow up the way he did." They all saddened at the mention of Harry's childhood, and Sirius sighed. "I taught him the contraceptive charm, as well as both potions, just in case; I trust them, and I know they'll be responsible."

Molly looked like she wanted to be angry with Sirius, but couldn't quite manage it. She nodded ruefully, and stood up, hurrying into the kitchen. In true Molly Weasley fashion, when she was feeling upset, she turned to the only activity that truly calmed her: cooking. She was sure the teenagers would appreciate some freshly baked scones. After all, Ron and Harry were growing boys, and Ginny had a very healthy appetite. Her appetite could rival Ron's at times, though thankfully, her table manners were much better.

**XXX**

The day of Ginny's birthday, the Weasleys hosted a party at the Burrow. All of the Weasleys besides Charlie, who was still in Romania, and Percy, who still hadn't reconciled with his family, were there, as were Fleur, Harry, Hermione, Susan, Neville, Blaise, Daphne, Luna, Minerva, Sirius, and Remus.

As they were eating outside in the bright August sun, Sirius gave the teenagers some unwelcome news.

"I spoke with Dumbledore the other day," he informed them, "I won't be coming back to teach Defense this year."

This statement was met with protest by all of the teenagers, who had truly enjoyed the classes with the Marauder.

Sirius shook his head at some of their questions. "Albus didn't say much, just that he had someone else lined up for the year."

"So the curse holds true," Harry sighed. "Is it too much to ask for some consistency?"

"Yep," Ron replied completely seriously, as he helped himself to a third piece of cake.

Hermione rolled her eyes fondly, but kissed her boyfriend's cheek, while Neville snorted and Harry shook his head.

After lunch, Ginny opened her presents. Bill and Fleur had given her a pair of dragonhide boots, much like the ones Bill had given Harry for Christmas a couple of years ago. Molly and Arthur had given her a new set of dress robes, dark blue that shimmered and sparkled in the light. They would accent her figure beautifully, and were much more suited to her body than the other set she owned, the robes Harry had bought for her for the Yule Ball her third year.

Hermione had given her a book on Arithmancy, while Neville gave her a book on Herbology, and Susan, a book on Transfiguration. Sirius and Minerva gave her a book on phoenixes, Sirius with a subtle wink and a nod.

Blaise and Daphne teamed up to get her an impressive writing set, with different quills and bottles of ink, all in a beautifully crafted carrying case. Luna gave her old friend a yearlong subscription to the Quibbler.

Harry went last, and gave his girlfriend a diamond and sapphire tennis bracelet that made all the females gasp as she unwrapped it. Harry put it around her wrist as he explained. "I found this in my vault. It belonged to my great-great grandmother."

Ginny smiled as she admired the bracelet around her wrist. "It's beautiful, Harry, thank you so much."

Harry returned the smile, and gave her a kiss, before Ron suggested they go play some Quidditch.

**XXX**

At the next meeting Sirius and Minerva had for their circle of confidants, Snape brought them some interesting news. "Albus has asked me to teach Defense this year," he informed them all brusquely, looking around the room.

The teenagers, predictably, were the most startled, but they were all confused by Albus' decision. For years, Albus had been refusing to give the position to Severus, so what had changed his mind?

Snape shrugged at their questions. "I don't know why now," he said. "Albus just told me he had someone lined up for Potions, and wondered if I was still interested in the Defense position."

He shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. Truthfully, he had never really been interested in the Defense position. He had only applied for it in the beginning because the Dark Lord had ordered him to. And then, later, it was more to annoy Albus than anything else. He much preferred Potions.

They spent a few more minutes discussing the headmaster's motives, but no one really had any idea what Dumbledore was thinking, so they moved on after a while.

Fred and George had brought up their progress on listening devices at the last meeting, and they were still working on it, but hoped they might have something to test out by the end of summer. They knew it could be important, so they were spending more time on this idea than on inventing new joke products.

"As soon as we have something we'll let you know, and you can hopefully get it in place," George said, looking at the new Defense professor. "So far the issue we're having is getting it to keep running without active magic. We did a little research, and know that the muggles use…" he looked over at his twin for help with the name.

"Tabberies?" Fred asked, tilting his head to the side.

Hermione snorted. "Batteries," she corrected. "Most batteries can last months or years before they die. Why do you need to find an alternative to magic?"

Harry sighed. "If the device has active magic powering it, a scan could pick it up. If it used passive magic, it shouldn't show up unless someone actually searched the room physically and found it."

George nodded. "We'll keep working at it, and we'll get it."

Harry smiled. "I know you will. Just keep us updated."

Fred mock-saluted. "Will do, boss," he chirped.

Harry rolled his eyes, as they moved onto another topic.

**XXX**

A few days after that, Minerva intercepted Ron and Neville as they headed into the dining room for lunch after an intense dueling session.

"With Professor Snape's appointment to Defense Professor, Albus has re-hired Horace Slughorn, the former Potions professor, to take Severus' previous job. Horace is quite happy to take NEWT students who achieved an E on their exam. I felt it might be prudent to ask the two of you if you are interested in continuing the class this year."

The two teenagers looked at each other for a moment, before they nodded their agreement, and Minerva smiled slightly. "I will pick up your textbooks today then, and get them to you tomorrow."

"Thank you Professor," Neville said, with Ron nodding his thanks as well, before the two hurried down the table to join their friends.

When Neville told them what Minerva had said, Sirius put down his fork. "I remember Slughorn," he commented. "He was the Potions professor when I was in school."

"Is he any good?" Harry asked curiously, while Hermione shot him a look over his choice of words. Even though she had been wondering the same thing.

Sirius sighed. "He's certainly competent," he allowed. "You should know, however, that Slughorn has his favorites. He had this club, called the Slug Club. He had this knack for picking out those who would become famous or successful, and he would gather kids whose parents or relatives were well known. He was a man who enjoyed the finer comforts in life. Very well connected, and a box of crystallized pineapple could ensure you a good recommendation from him." Sirius rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "I don't want to put you off him before you meet him, but you should be aware that he will undoubtedly try to 'collect' you for his club. You too, Susan," he looked over at the girl. "And perhaps the rest of you, as you are all the best in your years. I just want you to be on your guard."

Harry grimaced. "Great," he muttered. More people who looked at him and couldn't see passed his damn scar.

Sirius leaned forward and nudged Harry's hand, causing his godson to look up. "Don't judge him before you meet him," he advised. "But be aware of who he is, and don't just trust blindly."

Harry nodded. "I never do," he replied, a hint of steel in his voice that reminded all of them of the reason why the teenager couldn't just trust anyone.

They finished their meal in silence, and headed off to spend the rest of the afternoon having fun. Sirius told them that they needed some fun to alleviate the stress, and sent them outside to enjoy the summer sun.

**XXX**

The week before September First, a large gathering took place at McGonagall Castle – an end of the summer party where most of the circle Sirius and Minerva had gathered were in attendance. In fact, the only person from that group who wasn't there was Snape.

They spent the day outside, playing Quidditch, enjoying in the impressive lunch spread the house elves had put together, and having pleasant conversations with their friends.

It was towards the end of the afternoon when Bill stood up, clearing his throat and calling all the attention towards him. "I'd like to say something," he started nervously, looking at all the eyes on him. He coughed, and looked down to his side, where Fleur was sitting, smiling beatifically. "Fleur and I, well…" he looked at the ground, before taking the part Veela's hand in his, and looking back at the group. "Last night I asked her to marry me, and she accepted. We're engaged."

Molly started crying as she jumped up to hug her eldest son. "Oh, my baby, I'm so happy for you!" she sobbed, clutching him tightly.

Arthur stood as well, and joined his wife and son. Bill was looking a little short on breath as his mother held him, but he reached out and accepted his father's handshake, his expression happy.

Molly let go and reached out to Fleur, gesturing for her to join them and share in the joy. "Oh, welcome to the family dear," she sniffed as she hugged the young woman.

Fleur's responding hug was just as tight. Her family was in France, and truth be told, she had been feeling rather lonely without them. But Bill's parents had always made an effort to make her feel welcome, and she was so happy that they were pleased for her and accepted her into their family so willingly.

When Molly stepped back, Bill put an arm around her shoulders. His easy grin made it clear to the group as he accepted their congratulations, that he was utterly content.

"Oh, we'll have to start planning!" Molly gushed, resting a hand on Fleur's arm. "We can have the wedding at the Burrow, and we'll have to look at dress designs…" she trailed off, muttering under her breath about lace verses satin, and necklines, while Bill and Fleur looked at each other, beaming.

"Calm down mum," Bill pacified. "We just got engaged last night. We haven't even set a date yet. We've got time."

Molly cut off, and looked at her eldest son. She sighed and nodded, still smiling happily.

They spent some more time talking, with Bill and Fleur the center of attention, before the group broke up, everyone heading home for their beds.

_I know this chapter's a little shorter than previous ones. I could have kept going, but this was a natural place to end it, so I didn't fight it._

_Please review!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: not mine**

A couple days later, Harry and Ginny asked Sirius to give them the day off, as they wanted to talk to their friends. Sirius gave them a knowing look, understanding what they wanted to address with the others.

As it was a Monday, Harry had to ask Fred and George to take the morning off from work, and he asked Blaise, Luna, and Daphne to take the day off. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, but this was one of those 'the fewer people who knew, the better', and he just wanted to keep it to his closest circle. While the others were good friends, the Weasleys, and Neville, Susan, and Hermione were more like siblings.

"So what's going on?" Neville asked as they all sat down in the sitting room next to the dueling room in the basement of the Castle.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, holding hands, taking comfort in that small touch.

Harry took a deep breath, and looked around at the group. "You've all been really great about not asking questions this summer, waiting for us to tell you. We really appreciate that, and we never questioned that we would tell you what's going on, it's just…" he trailed off for a moment, and then continued. "We needed to tell our guardians first."

Ron furrowed his brow. "This sounds really serious. Why did you have to tell mum and dad?"

Ginny leaned forward slightly. Her warm brown eyes caught each of their confused and worried gazes. "Have any of you heard of soul bonds?"

Hermione, predictably, gasped. "Are you serious?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

Ginny nodded, and Harry smiled, nudging her shoulder with his.

Hermione's eyes gleamed brightly. "Oh, Merlin, that's amazing!"

Ron looked over at his girlfriend. "For those of us who aren't as smart, care to clue us in?"

Hermione blushed slightly as she looked over at Ron. "Soul bonds are some of the purest and oldest forms of magic. There are different kinds, such as life bonds or marriage bonds." She looked back at Harry and Ginny. "But I'm guessing what you have isn't one of those."

The others all gasped as they caught on to what was going on.

Harry nodded, looking nervously at Ginny's brothers. "It's what we'd call a true Soul Bond. Basically, Ginny and I were meant to be together from the beginning. When we became a couple, the bond activated." He swallowed, his expression somewhat apologetic. "Ginny and I are, for all intents and purposes, married. We already talked to your parents, and Sirius and Aunt Minerva," he hurried on when it looked like Ron was about to explode. Fred and George didn't look much better, but they did look like they would wait and hear him out first. "We're not going to move into Potter Manor anytime soon, and we understand our ages. We're not going to do anything more than we are intrinsically comfortable with. Your parents trust us to be responsible."

Ron was about to start yelling, when he did something he had been really working at over the last couple of years. He stopped, took a deep breath, and thought about what he was going to say before he spoke. Harry was his best mate, and he had come around to the idea of them dating rather quickly. He actually sort of liked it, because he trusted Harry with Ginny way more than he would trust any of the other blokes he knew. But married? Well, yeah, he had sort of thought they would probably end up that way, but not for years. They were too young! They were… well, Harry had just turned sixteen, and Ginny was fifteen. They weren't exactly adults, but they were getting there. Both of them had seen way more than most teenagers their ages. His parents trusted them, and were all right with the situation. The question was, was he? From what they had said, being soul bonded meant that they were destined to be together. They were two halves of a whole. Didn't that mean that Harry would never hurt her?

Harry seemed to be holding his breath, waiting for something from Ron.

The redhead looked at his best mate, and smiled slightly. "So I guess we're really brothers now, huh?"

Harry grinned, and Hermione beamed as she kissed her boyfriend's cheek. She was so proud of the way he had grown up over the last couple of years.

Fred and George looked at each other, and shrugged. "You've always been family, Harry," George said.

"We trusted you with our sister before, and this doesn't really change anything," Fred picked up.

Harry's smile, if possible, got wider. "Thanks, guys," he said, relieved. "It means a lot that you accept this. I know we waited a while to tell you, but you can understand why we don't want people to know?"

Susan nodded seriously. "I know a little about soul bonds, and what I know says that the youngest recorded bond was twenty three, over a thousand years ago. The idea of it happening so young is almost unheard of. Plus, if Voldemort knew, he could possibly use it against you."

Several of the group looked surprised, like they hadn't considered that possibility, but Ginny nodded. "Exactly. And even beyond that, it's very private. It was a huge step for us, just to tell all of you. We don't feel comfortable sharing everything, but we will tell you what we can today, and hope that you will be satisfied with that, and not push for more." Her gaze seemed to rest on Hermione for that last bit; even if the bookish girl had toned down her attitude over the last couple of years, she still loved her research projects.

Everyone nodded to show they understood, and Harry told them a little more about their bond. How they could speak mind to mind, and how they could sometimes see what was going on around the other.

Though they clearly had more questions than were answered, all of their friends practiced restraint, and didn't push them, respecting their wishes.

"Thank you for telling us all this," Neville said, as they wrapped up to go have lunch. "It means a lot that you trust us with this secret."

Harry smiled at his friend. "Of course we trust you," he replied, clapping the Longbottom heir on the shoulder. "You guys, you're not just friends. We're like… one big family. I trust you all more than just about anyone. Besides Ginny, of course," he grinned at the younger girl, taking her hand in his.

Ginny growled playfully, and leaned into his side. "Harry's right. You all are closer than friends. We trust you with our lives, and we knew we could trust you with this."

They all smiled happily, and continued upstairs. Though they didn't say it often, they all felt the same way.

Neville could remember his childhood with startling clarity. Friendless, ostracized by even his own family for being perceived as barely magical. Entering Hogwarts and being bullied, made fun of, and again, ostracized. There had been a few who abstained, but even then, they hadn't really made an effort to include him. It had meant so much to him when Harry had extended the offer of friendship, and the last couple of years, his life had changed dramatically. Harry had said that they were sort of like godbrothers, because their mums had been each other's godmothers. Harry had taken that to heart, and everything he had done for Neville since then had only shown that fact. And his life had gotten so much better. Getting his own wand had drawn his magic out, and no one could dispute that he was a wizard now. His grandmother had, amazingly, thawed out a little, and showed pride in him. She had actually bought him an owl as a present when he had shown her his OWL grades. While he didn't mind Trevor, he much preferred the owl. He would leave the toad at home to enjoy his greenhouses, and take the owl to school. His new pet was a beautiful Eagle Owl with quite a personality. Neville had named her Athena, and had received multiple compliments from his friends when he had shown them the bird. Athena and Hedwig got on quite well, something the two teenagers were a little surprised about – their personalities were so similar, Harry had said that it made sense that they would either get on magnificently or be mortal enemies. They were glad it was the former.

When Harry said they were like family, he felt such a huge sense of comfort and happiness. He was proud to be held in such high regard, and he would endeavor to earn that respect for the rest of his life.

Susan also felt overjoyed. Harry certainly hadn't needed to include her several years ago. He had invited her to his new home because her aunt had been involved in getting him away from his horrible relatives and in engineering his godfather's freedom, but he really hadn't had to, if he hadn't wanted to. But he had let her in, taken a leap of faith and trusted her with his godfather's life. And she had found herself integrating into a group of teenagers that gave her a sense of home, a place to belong. Harry had given her so much more than the hand of friendship. He had given her a family, a place to belong. Sirius was shaping up to be a great uncle, and this group she was surrounded by were the brothers and sisters she had always wanted.

Before Hermione had started at Hogwarts, the only friends she had had, had been those she found in books. Her classmates made fun of her because she was smart, she always got top grades, and, yes, she could admit that she was a bit of a teacher's pet. The other girls made fun of her bushy hair and her larger than normal front teeth. So she stuck to her books, and read about worlds with dragons and knights, and princesses that always got their prince. It was fantasy, and she knew that, but it was so much better than her reality.

When she had gotten her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, she had hoped, perhaps naïvely, that the wizarding world would be different. And yet, she had had to learn the hard way that people were people, magical or not. She was still the bookish girl who wasn't comfortable in social situations. She was still made fun of, and people still avoided her. But then something remarkable had happened. Harry had extended an offer of friendship. Well, technically, he and Ron had accidentally locked her in a room with a troll and then rescued her, but it amounted to the same thing. With Harry and Ron as friends, she had mellowed out a little; Harry had taught her that books weren't always right, and even authority figures were fallible. She had grown into a woman she could be proud of, and she had Harry to thank for that. He was like her brother, and she couldn't imagine her life without him anymore. She trusted him implicitly, and she was so glad that that trust was returned. It couldn't have been easy for Harry and Ginny to tell them such a private thing, but they had, knowing that their friends would understand. She wouldn't let them down.

Hermione had changed a great deal from the girl she was at eleven; she understood the concept of leaping without looking, and doing things because they were right, even if it broke a few rules in the process. Harry had taught her that some things were more important.

**XXX**

The morning of September First, it was organized chaos as was usual when the Weasleys were involved. Harry had asked – or begged – his guardians to let him and his friends have a sleepover the night before, and they had reluctantly agreed. They knew that the teenagers would be tired the next day, as it was unlikely they would get much sleep, but they couldn't say no to Harry's wide, pleading eyes.

It was a rather large group, and a fun evening, as Harry was joined by Ginny, Ron, Susan, Neville, Hermione, Blaise, Daphne, and Luna. The last three were still working on their animagus transformations, so they practiced for a while, while the others played out on the grounds in their forms.

When it got late, the house elves provided the teenagers with an impressive buffet of snacks, and they all settled down with blankets and pillows in the dueling room, talking about the coming year, their studies, and anything else they thought of. It was a rather fun evening, Harry thought, as they finally drifted off around three o'clock in the morning.

They were up early the next day, bleary eyed as they cleaned up the dueling room and went upstairs to get dressed and get their belongings together.

Fortunately, everyone had packed before they arrived for the sleepover, and even Ron couldn't completely empty his trunk in one night.

It was still a bit of a mad rush to get dressed, get breakfast, and get all their belongings ready around the Floo by ten thirty, but they managed. It was a loud gathering in the sitting room, as Neville and Harry pacified their caged owls, while Ginny and Hermione had to do the same to Crookshanks and Selene, who were not happy to be sequestered in their carry boxes.

As was prearranged, Harry and his friends went through the Floo with Remus and Sirius, and met their families, along with Tonks and Kingsley, in the wizarding portion of Kings Cross, so that their parents and guardians could still see them off.

Harry and Ginny were first through the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, followed by Ron and Hermione, Neville and Susan, Blaise and Luna, and Daphne last, before the adults joined them.

They all said goodbye to their respective guardians quickly, as the adults wanted them to get to the relative safety that the train provided.

Harry said goodbye to Sirius and Remus, as Minerva had had to get to school, before Molly grasped him in a tight hug. "You take care of yourself," she told him kindly, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

Harry nodded, before the Weasley matriarch moved on down the line.

Molly fussed over the teenagers, giving them all hugs and imploring them to be good, before they got on the train.

They all claimed a compartment before most of the group left Neville and Ron to hold down the fort while they all headed up front for the Prefect meeting.

There were a few other Prefects there as Harry and his friends entered, and they said their hellos, spending a few minutes talking about their summers, before the train began to move, signaling that eleven o'clock had arrived.

Katie Bell slipped into a seat near Harry right at eleven. She smiled a hello before she raised an eyebrow at Harry. "So, I'm guessing congratulations are in order?" she asked with a smile.

Harry returned the smile and nodded, knowing what she was talking about. "Thanks," he replied.

"So, when are tryouts going to be?" Katie queried, glancing up at the Head Boy and Girl to make sure they weren't starting the meeting.

Harry shrugged. "Within the first couple of weeks. I'll let you know when I book the Pitch, but it's going to be a bigger event than last year, since we only have three starters."

"But it was a good idea to build a reserve team," Katie argued. "We already have a pool to pick from for those positions."

Harry shook his head. "I'm going to hold complete tryouts, for all starting and reserve positions. I think you've got the best chance of everyone of making the team again, but I want to make sure we have the best of the best. Maybe there's someone who didn't tryout last year."

Katie bit her lip. "That's a good idea," she admitted. "I better make the team, Potter, but it is a good idea."

Harry kept smiling as he nodded, as a few more people entered the compartment, and they turned to other conversations, mostly about their summers.

Shortly after that, the Head Boy and Girl – Jeremy Winchester from Ravenclaw, and Elizabeth Newton from Hufflepuff – called the meeting to order.

"Welcome everyone," Elizabeth greeted. "And congratulations to our new Prefects. This will just be a short meeting, we'll sort out patrol schedules and go over a few things, and then you can all go back to your compartments."

She and Jeremy then proceeded on with the meeting. It wasn't too long until Harry was heading back to his compartment with his friends.

"It's going to be a busy year," Ginny commented as she took a seat on Harry's lap, as there weren't enough seats for all of them to sit in the compartment. "Prefect duties, OWLs, the DA, Quidditch…" She leaned back into Harry's toned chest. "Why did I want to be a Prefect again?"

Harry chuckled, the motion causing his chest to vibrate slightly, and Ginny sighed contentedly. "You get used to it," he reassured her. "Just budget your time, and exams won't be an issue. Right Hermione?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but nodded. It was good advice.

The trip to Hogsmeade station was uneventful. They all pitched in and nearly cleaned the Trolley Witch out when she came by, and spent the afternoon talking and eating.

Harry had informed them of Malfoy's expulsion, and they all wondered how that would change the Hogwarts dynamics. Malfoy hadn't been the only worrisome student there, but he was the most vocal. How many had just been following the leader? Harry implored them all to be careful, but they were optimistic that perhaps some of the questionable students would see the light without Malfoy's dribble clouding their judgment.

"How was the DMLE able to expel someone?" Hermione asked curiously. "I know they manage the law, but I always thought Hogwarts was outside their control."

Harry nodded. "It is," he agreed. "Amelia and Rufus Scrimgeour, the head of the DMLE, took their case to the Board of Governors. Dumbledore was there, of course, trying to preach forgiveness, but the Board decided to expel Malfoy. Amelia told me a couple days ago about all this. Once he was expelled, they had the opportunity to decide whether or not they could try him for his crimes, but Rufus decided that they can't really sentence him to Azkaban, since he didn't actually hurt anyone."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Tell that to my head. That tackle hurt, and whatever potion he released definitely gave me a headache."

Harry tightened his arms around her waist. "I know," he agreed. "It sucks, and Crabbe and Goyle will still be at Hogwarts, but there's not much we can really do about it. Amelia said to be on our guard, and come to her if we need anything, or if anything happens."

When it turned to early evening, the boys all left to give the girls a chance to change into their uniforms, before they exited the compartment to give the boys the same courtesy.

It wasn't too much later when the train began to slow down, and shortly after that, they pulled into Hogsmeade station.

After spending a few minutes helping first years find their way to Hagrid – not that it was that hard, the part giant did stand out from the crowd just a bit – and sorting out a few arguments with students fighting over the carriages, they all got into the last few thestral-drawn carriages themselves, and headed up to the castle.

**XXX**

Harry was grateful that Minerva didn't wait too long before bringing in the new first years. Ron was complaining constantly about his hunger, and Harry just wanted the feast to start so that he would stop talking. He was hungry too, but he wasn't sharing that fact with the entire table.

He knew that the others were also getting annoyed, but fortunately, Minerva entered at that moment, cutting off any comments they might have made.

Harry listened to the sorting hat's song with interest. Just like the year before, it included a warning, telling the students to unite and stand strong against the growing darkness. He clapped politely along with the rest of the Hall, before Minerva began calling names.

After the last student was sorted into Ravenclaw, Dumbledore stood up, smiling genially as he spread his arms in a welcoming gesture.

"To our new students, welcome! And to our old students, welcome back! Tuck in!"

He sat down, and the noise level in the hall rose dramatically as food appeared on all tables.

Harry studied the head table as he ate. He was interested to see what the new Potions professor looked like. He wouldn't form any opinions until he had a few classes with the man, but after what Sirius had told him, he would be on his guard. The man he observed was rather rotund, and as Sirius had said, clearly someone who enjoyed the finer comforts of life. He had almost white-blond hair, and was sporting a rather unfortunate comb over to hide his receding hairline.

Once the desserts had disappeared, Dumbledore stood up again. "Now that you are all full to bursting, I have a few start of term announcements to give out, before I send you to your beds. First years should note that the Forbidden Forest is just that – forbidden. A few older students would do well to remember that as well." His gaze shifted to the Gryffindor table, before he spoke again. "Mister Filch has informed me that twenty four items have been added to the banned items list, bringing the total to four hundred and fifty two. I believe the full list can be viewed in the caretaker's office."

"Has anyone ever actually taken him up on that offer?" Harry wondered quietly, causing Ginny, Ron, and Neville to hide their chuckles, and Hermione to roll her eyes fondly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "The final announcement I have relates to staffing. I am pleased to welcome back Horace Slughorn this year. Professor Slughorn will be reprising his role as Potions professor, while Professor Snape will be taking over Defense Against the Dark Arts."

There was polite clapping, as Slughorn stood up and waved, while Snape just nodded from his seat.

Dumbledore smiled. "Now, if the Prefects will lead the first years to their dormitories, I wish you all a good evening."

Ginny immediately stood up, giving Harry a kiss before she caught up with her male counterpart, Colin Creevey, and they led the first years up to Gryffindor tower.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville tagged along, waving to Blaise, Luna, Daphne, and Susan as they left the Hall.

_Please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

**I love getting reviews, and I love that people want to know what happens, and most questions I'm happy to answer (unless they involve spoilers, so please don't ask if Dumbledore's going to die, because I won't answer that one), but I'm not going to answer one person's questions in little notes at the top of a chapter, so if you do have questions, please don't pose them to me as a guest. I can't respond if you do!**

**Disclaimer: don't own**

The next morning found the students of Hogwarts blearily eating breakfast as their Heads of House handed out class schedules.

Harry smiled at Minerva as she handed him his, and he looked it over, seeing what books he would need that day.

_Schedule for Harry James Potter _

_Monday:_

_0900-1050: Transfiguration_

_1300-1450: Charms_

_1500-1650: Potions_

_Tuesday: _

_0900-1050: Arithmancy_

_1300-1450: Ancient Runes_

_1500-1650: Defense Against the Dark Arts_

_Wednesday:_

_1000-1150: Potions_

_1300-1450: Transfiguration_

_1500-1650: Arithmancy_

_Thursday:_

_0900-1050: Defense Against the Dark Arts_

_1300-1450: Charms_

_Friday:_

_1000-1150: Ancient Runes_

Today was a Monday, so they would be starting out with Transfiguration right off.

Hermione's schedule was exactly like his, except she was also continuing with Herbology.

All of them had dropped History, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, and for those taking it, Divination. They were taking most classes together, except Ron wasn't in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, Neville hadn't taken Ancient Runes, and Susan had dropped the subject.

They all finished their breakfast quickly and left to get their books before heading to the Transfiguration classroom.

Harry knew that this year would be challenging, but that fact was only driven home more by the end of the day.

Minerva informed them of what she would be expecting of them as NEWT students. As an upper level class, it was comprised of students from all four houses. It was slightly larger than previous years, but there was only one class for the sixth years.

Charms passed much the same way, but it was Potions that Harry was really waiting for.

Slughorn proved himself to be a jolly man, in good spirits, but Harry felt like part of it was an act. Sirius had told him the man had been in Slytherin, so he had to be cunning.

Slughorn started them off by identifying different potions – Hermione was able to successfully identify Amortentia, a powerful love potion, while Harry correctly identified the Drought of Living Death, and Neville recognized the Dreamless Sleep potion.

Slughorn seemed very happy with their success, and clapped his hands jovially. "Well done indeed," he chortled. "That will be five points each, to Gryffindor. Now, the potion we will be brewing today is –"

"Sir," Ernie MacMillian interrupted, "you haven't told us about that one yet."

He pointed at the fourth and smallest cauldron set up. Slughorn looked down, and chuckled. "Dear me, so I haven't." Harry rolled his eyes slightly, and caught Hermione's equally exasperated gaze. Neither of them believed for a second that Slughorn had forgotten the potion. More likely, he had been waiting for someone to ask, to make a scene out of it. "This," he waved at the cauldron, "is none other than Felix Felicis!"

Hermione gasped. "Liquid luck!" she breathed, her eyes trained on the small cauldron.

Slughorn chuckled again. "Take five more points Miss Granger. Can you tell us what this potion does?"

Hermione looked up at the professor. "It gives the drinker good luck for a set amount of time. But it's extremely regulated."

Slughorn nodded. "Indeed. It must be taken sparingly, as excessive amounts can cause extreme overconfidence, giddiness, and recklessness. It is banned in any organized event, and as Miss Granger said, it is extremely regulated." He sighed reminiscently. "I've taken Felix twice before, both times resulting in perfect days." He looked around at the class. "This potion will be the prize for today. We will be brewing the Draught of Living Death." He gestured to the potion sitting on the desk. "As you can see, this is it in its finished stage. I highly doubt any of you will get to this point today, but to the person who gets the furthest, you will win one small bottle of Felix Felicis. Enough for two doses, or twelve hours of luck." He clapped his hands. "Let's begin!"

What followed was actually a good lesson, but Harry couldn't forget his misgivings over the professor. Still, it was better than Snape, even if the Slytherin Head of House had mellowed out slightly in the last year.

At the end of the lesson, Slughorn called for them to step away from their cauldrons, as he walked around and observed the students' work.

The finished product was supposed to turn from a pale lilac color to clear. The colors in the class ranged from dark blue to purple, and Slughorn would peek in each cauldron and either nod or shake his head. He seemed to approve greatly of Daphne's potion, if the smile on his face was anything to go by.

When he got to the last couple of tables, he smiled widely at Hermione's potion, which was a light purple color, clearly the furthest along he had seen. He gave Ron a nod at seeing his darker purple potion, before moving along to Harry and Neville. Neville's potion was about the same as Ron's, but Slughorn stopped immediately when he saw Harry's cauldron.

"Ho, ho, what do we have here?" he grinned proudly. "By far the furthest along, Mr. Potter, it is clear we have a winner!"

Harry grinned, feeling proud, as Slughorn handed him the bottle of Felix Felicis. His finished potion still had a slight purple sheen to it, but it was barely there. All in all, he figured he had been about three minutes ahead of Hermione. If they had had just a little more time, their potions probably would have looked the same.

"Take fifteen points to Gryffindor, Mr. Potter, and for next week, everyone, a foot of parchment on the Draught of Living Death."

Harry and his friends left the dungeons and headed up to the common room, talking about the lesson. They said goodbye to Blaise and Daphne as they left the dungeon, and then Susan as she headed off to the Hufflepuff common room, before they went up to Gryffindor tower.

Harry waited until they were sitting in the sofas around the fireplace before they got into the more deep conversations about their new professor.

"It was a good class," Hermione commented. "I wish I could have won, but your potion was very good Harry."

Harry smiled and nodded his thanks. He had worked very hard to understand the process of brewing, and Potions had become a class he was quite talented in, now that he knew what he was doing. He bit his lip. "Slughorn seems to know what he's doing, but I still get this… feeling about him."

Neville nodded. "Like he's always looking for an angle?"

Harry glanced over at the Longbottom heir and nodded again. "He was a Slytherin, so I would expect him to be at least a little bit cunning, but everything Sirius told us, coupled with my own observations, tells me that Slughorn could be dangerous. I don't think he's evil, or in league with Voldemort, but I think he'd help out the wrong person for the right price."

Hermione gasped slightly, and Ginny, who had arrived from Care of Magical Creatures shortly after they had returned to the common room, raised an eyebrow. "That sounds a little harsh," the redhead commented.

Harry looked at her and shrugged. "It's just an assessment," he muttered. "Something about him just doesn't endear me to trust him. He reminds me a bit of Lockhart, riding on the coattails of other people's achievements. I think he's probably a better professor than that fraud, he did teach our parents, but I'm going to withhold judgment until he gives me a reason to get off the fence."

"That sounds like a good idea," Neville commented. "Let's give him a chance, but haven't we all learned by now not to trust blindly?"

Hermione flinched slightly at the small dig to her previous faith in authority figures.

They all put their books away and headed down for dinner.

**XXX**

Harry spoke with Minerva after supper, and they set up a DA meeting for that weekend.

In the meantime, Harry also had to plan on setting up Quidditch tryouts. He wasn't quite as nervous as he would have been, had they not had a full reserve team the year before, but as Captain, he had to reserve the Pitch, and it would come down to him to decide on the new team.

Over the course of the week, Harry spoke to all the other Captains, and they decided to split their tryouts over two weekends. Slytherin would need to do the most rebuilding by far. With Malfoy gone, Crabbe and Goyle were the only members left of the previous team. Snape had given Theodore Nott the position of Captain, as the sixth year had played as a reserve a few times over the years. That, and Blaise said he wasn't interested in playing.

They decided that Hufflepuff and Slytherin would have their tryouts the second weekend of the month, and Ravenclaw and Gryffindor would have their tryouts the third weekend.

It was so much easier to get things done when all four houses got along, Harry mused, as he made his way to the DA lounge that Saturday afternoon.

It was a large group gathered for that meeting, once more with everyone returning but the graduated seventh years. They had also added the majority of the first years. A few holdouts were normal, Harry knew from the previous year; it was mostly kids who had been taught at home to remain aloof and not associate with other houses. From experience, Harry knew they would join within the next few months, after acclimating to school and the newly developed Inter-House friendships.

With so many people in the group, Minerva and Flitwick had done some major reconstruction and sectioned off that wing of the castle, turning it into a much larger lounge. There were multiple interconnected rooms, so that people could form smaller groups to study different subjects.

It was a very successful evening, with a little studying, and a little catch up with friends that they hadn't seen since the previous term. One of the topics a lot of people were talking about were Snape's Defense lessons. The old Potions professor had proved to be adept at his new subject, and people were talking about how much they enjoyed the lessons.

Harry was smiling as he dropped into his bed that night.

**XXX**

Harry received an invitation to a 'small get together' in Professor Slughorn's quarters the next week. The 'get together' was for Saturday evening, and Harry really didn't want to be a part of Slughorn's little club.

As it turned out, all of Harry's friends had gotten invitations as well, but they felt the same way, and all decided not to go.

Instead, they spent most of the weekend in the Room of Requirement, practicing their animagus transformation, working on homework, and various other pursuits. Harry and Hermione spent part of an afternoon discussing the werewolf transformation and cure possibilities, along with the Wolfsbane potion and whether or not more improvements could be made. It made little sense to the others, though Daphne joined them after practicing her transformation for a while, and seemed to be keeping up, even putting in a few of her own ideas. It would make sense for her to understand, though, seeing as how she was planning on studying for a Potions Mastery after Hogwarts.

Harry also continued testing Blaise, Daphne, and Luna on their Occlumency shields; though they were a little hesitant, they all agreed that with Harry using Legilimancy, they were more likely to achieve full shields quicker. And they trusted him not to go digging for anything.

Harry was learning quickly, and hoped that he would be able to master the art within the next year. He really hoped his idea would work. He wanted to give Neville his parents back.

**XXX**

Slughorn caught up to Harry on Monday and expressed his disappointment that Harry couldn't make it to his get together. Harry apologized, but when the professor tried to invite him to another one in two weeks, he politely declined, saying he wanted to focus on his studies, before making his escape.

Even just over two weeks into the new year, Harry knew it would be a challenge. Classes, Prefect duties, the DA, and his new role as Quidditch Captain. Not to mention a few other side projects he was working on, or wanted to start working on. He was pretty advanced for his age, but he knew he would need to work hard to keep up with everything.

Still, ordering his time and not allowing himself to slip, kept him on top of the homework, and he was even able to help Ginny a little, as the fifth years never really got the chance to ease into the new year – the professors immediately started them off on OWL work. Plus Ginny also had Prefect duties to attend to.

**XXX**

Hermione's seventeenth birthday fell on that Tuesday, and Harry and Ron plotted together to pull off a spectacular surprise party for her.

The bookish young woman was very emotional as she saw the entire Gryffindor House there in the common room. She had grown up with very few friends, and to see so many people wishing her a happy birthday was such an amazing experience.

Harry had talked to the House Elves and gotten them to provide enough food to feed all four Houses, which was very much appreciated, especially the fantastic cake they whipped up, after Harry told them that the party was for one of his best friends. They wanted to make the evening great for 'Mr. Harry Potter sir'.

After they all got a plate of food, Harry and his friends drifted off to a corner so that they could give Hermione her presents. Harry and Ginny teamed up to get her a boxed set of Shakespeare plays.

When Hermione looked up, surprise written clearly on her face, Ginny shrugged while Harry smiled. "Harry's the one who came up with the idea," she admitted. "I knew your name comes from one of his plays, and even the wizarding world knows that Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers of all time." Ron's guilty shifting suggested that perhaps he hadn't known that, but Ginny didn't comment. "I hope you don't already have these books. I thought you might enjoy reading them."

Hermione looked at Harry. The teen just shrugged. "You love to read. I know you probably read some Shakespeare at muggle school, but I thought you might enjoy having a collection of his works."

Hermione beamed brightly. "Thank you so much, both of you. I love them. I have read a few before, but I don't own any of these. This is a brilliant present."

Ginny flushed happily, and Harry smiled, as Hermione opened Neville's present next. He got her an in-depth guide to the NEWTs, which she thanked him for ecstatically.

Ron's gift was a simple silver necklace, with a small 'H' pendant. Hermione put it on immediately, and gave her boyfriend a kiss. She was so happy with the man he was growing into, and she loved the necklace.

**XXX**

George groaned as he sat up. Why had he decided to take a nap on the hard cement floor of his and Fred's Potions laboratory?

Nearby, Fred also stirred, and looked over at his twin.

Oh yeah, George remembered ruefully, they had been working on their listening device. So far, they kept running into trouble when it came to getting the device to work on passive magic. They just couldn't make something like the muggle batteries, and like most of their experiments, trying seemed to be detrimental to their health, as was evident by their current situation.

Fred sighed as he stood up. "Now what?"

George shrugged, and moved over to the now blackened device, sitting innocently on the table. "Back to the beginning," he grimaced.

Fred nodded, and they got back to work.

**XXX**

Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts were held that Saturday. When Harry went down to the Pitch that morning after breakfast, what seemed like half the House was waiting for him.

Last year's starters and reserves stood off to one side, while all the other hopefuls crowded in the center of the Pitch.

Harry arrived with Ron and Ginny after breakfast, and the two Weasleys went to join the group of previous team members, after wishing Harry good luck. Harry smiled thankfully as he looked at the crowd in front of him. Ron had helped him a lot in coming up with some good plays that they would certainly implement this year. The youngest male Weasley was truly gifted when it came to strategy.

Harry cleared his throat. "Good morning, everyone, thanks for coming." He bit his lip, and mentally prepared himself for what was going to be a long day. Why did so many people show up? "Let's start by separating by position. Chasers, go group by Katie; beaters, form a group next to the chasers; keepers to Ron; and seekers, to me."

He waited for a coupe of minutes as the flurry of movement died down, before he spoke again. "OK, chaser group, two laps around the Pitch. Go."

The group immediately took off, and Harry watched them carefully. He had decided this year that everyone would need to try out again. He didn't expect anyone other than Katie and Ron to win their chaser and keeper spots back, but it would be best to give everyone a fair shot.

When the group of chaser hopefuls returned, Harry politely dismissed three of them, all first and second years who clearly didn't possess the skill set to handle the position, and sent the beaters up in the air next.

After two laps around the Pitch, Harry dismissed four beaters, leaving seven hopefuls left.

Of the seven keeper candidates, none of them were horrible on a broom, so after their two laps, Harry called the chasers back, and had each of them take five shots against each keeper hopeful.

Harry dismissed three chasers and two keepers in the first round, before he called the beaters back up. He let the bludgers loose, and paired up beaters, having them try to hit the chaser hopefuls as they each went up against the keepers one more time.

He eliminated four more chasers who couldn't get past the bludgers to make more than one of their five shots, and three more keepers, leaving him with six chasers and two keepers. He was pleased to see that third year Evan was one of the keeper candidates, along with Ron. He had suspected the year before that the kid would be good in that position, and he was glad that he was going for it.

Of the beaters, he excused three of them who had worse aim than the others, leaving him with four.

Sending all his remaining candidates back to the ground, he called the seekers up next. He released two snitches, and told the three students – Dennis and two second years – that the first two to catch the snitches would advance. He had been a little surprised to see that Sheila had joined the chaser group that year, though he was happy that she was still in the running, having some talent at aiming, and a strong arm that really did not match her tiny frame.

He wasn't surprised when nearly twenty minutes later, Dennis found the first elusive gold ball, just like the year before. Five minutes later, one of the second years – a short girl with a near uncontrollable mane of hair named Elisa – found the second snitch.

Now that he had two full teams, Harry had them all go back up for a mock scrimmage.

In the last couple of hours, the stands had filled up a bit with Gryffindor students, coming down to watch after a leisurely breakfast. They were joined by all those who had been cut already, as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Harry re-released the two bludgers and a snitch, threw up the quaffle, and then joined them.

He watched the scrimmage carefully, keeping an eye on all the players. The game lasted almost an hour and a half, in which Harry mixed up the chaser and beater teams several times, before Dennis caught the snitch.

As they all touched the ground, he raised his voice to make himself heard over the noise. "Really great job everyone, thanks for coming out. I'll post the list by tomorrow morning."

The stands slowly emptied out as the player hopefuls all headed up to the castle to get some lunch.

Harry didn't join them, instead heading to the kitchen to get something quick before he planned on spending the rest of the afternoon going over the tryouts and making his final decisions.

After making a quick stop in his dorm room, he sequestered himself in the Room of Requirement for the afternoon, and went over the different candidates. There was no question, after seeing everyone, that Katie and Ron deserved their spots back. But that still left him with two chaser spots, two beaters, and an entire reserve team to choose.

Using the pensieve that Minerva had given him for Christmas several years previously, which he had picked up from its spot in one of the compartments in his trunk – one that was keyed solely to him so that no one else could get in – Harry reviewed the tryouts and compared the players.

By the time he joined his friends for dinner, he thought he had a pretty good team worked out. However, he waited until late that night to post the list on the board in the common room. He couldn't hide it from Ginny, of course, since she was in his head, but he wanted to keep it a surprise for everyone else.

Harry and his friends were up early the next morning, and Ron checked the list first thing before they headed out for their morning run. He grinned happily at seeing his name on the list as starting keeper, and Harry shook his head. "You know you were the best one out there, mate," he clapped the redhead on the shoulder. "I don't know why you worry so much."

Ron glared halfheartedly at him, and they headed down to the Entrance Hall to meet up with Susan, Blaise, Daphne, and Luna.

When the Gryffindors returned an hour and a half later, they were met with several people crowding around the bulletin board, some of them beaming happily, others with disappointment on their faces.

Katie made her way over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Nice to see you know your place, Potter," she said haughtily, though there was a twinkle in her eyes that clearly said she was kidding.

Harry nodded contritely. "Of course," he replied, playing along. He raised his voice. "Practice starts tomorrow, starters and reserves, I expect you all there ready to train."

Those who had made the team nodded, excited.

Harry glanced over at the board, and smiled. It was going to be a good team this year.

_Gryffindor Quidditch Team_

_Starters:_

_**Chaser – Katie Bell**_

_**Chaser – Ginny Weasley**_

_**Chaser – Demelza Robbins**_

_**Beater – Colin Creevey**_

_**Beater – Dean Thomas**_

_**Keeper – Ron Weasley**_

_**Seeker – Harry Potter (C)**_

_Reserves:_

_**Chaser – Natalie McDonald**_

_**Chaser – Vicky Frobisher**_

_**Chaser – Sheila Walters**_

_**Beater – Seamus Finnegan**_

_**Beater – Geoffrey Hooper**_

_**Keeper – Evan Harrison**_

_**Seeker – Dennis Creevey**_

Sheila and Evan both made their way over to Harry and thanked him, to which Harry just shook his head. "Hey, you guys are the ones who earned it. Don't thank me, I just picked the best ones for the team."

The two third years beamed and went to find their friends.

Ron raised an eyebrow. "Didn't they both try out for seeker last year?"

Harry looked over and nodded. "I think Evan prefers keeping, maybe you could give him some pointers?" Ron shrugged noncommittally, and Harry sighed. "As for Sheila, I think deduced that she might get more playing time as chaser, at least until I graduate. And Dennis is just better at the position than her. She makes a good chaser, who knows? Maybe she decided she likes that position better. Come on, we should shower and get changed."

They all agreed and headed up to their dorms.

After breakfast, Hermione settled herself at a table in the corner of the common room, doing some sort of work – not that anyone felt brave enough to ask. It couldn't be homework, since Hermione would never leave her work to Sunday.

Ron joined her shortly, because he _would_ leave his homework until the last day of the weekend.

Neville left soon after that, and if Harry had to hazard a guess, the Longbottom heir was off to find a certain Hufflepuff. He and Hannah Abbott seemed to get on quite well after their date in Hogsmeade last term. Harry knew that Susan was a little jealous, but she was trying to be supportive of her two friends.

With all their friends busy, Harry and Ginny disappeared to the Room of Requirement for the day, where they spent some time talking about a good point Harry had brought up at the end of the last term. Namely, what had happened to Voldemort in 1981.

Harry sighed. "I don't know why, but I feel like this could be the key to defeating him, once and for all," he admitted as the two cuddled on a sofa in a passable representation of the common room.

Ginny nodded. "He must have done something to stop himself from dying that day. The question is, what?"

Harry shrugged. "We should look into ways to cheat death. But somehow, I doubt we'll find any answers in the Hogwarts library."

"Maybe we should check your library at Potter Manor?" Ginny suggested.

Harry bit his lip. "Perhaps," he agreed. "Though I think the Black library might bear more fruit. That family is more likely to have books on the darker side of magic, and unfortunately, I think that's probably where we'll find our answer."

Ginny growled. "Why couldn't this be easy?" she huffed. "What are the chances that we'll be able to sneak off to Grimmauld Place?"

Harry's eyes sparkled mischeviously. "That sounds like a challenge," he grinned. "We'll come up with something. Maybe we'll get a chance over Christmas. In the mean time, we'll do some research here, and see what we come up with."

Ginny nodded. "We should tell the others though," she suggested. "We're going to need help."

Harry inclined his head. "As soon as Blaise, Daphne, and Luna master Occlumency, we'll tell everyone. And if we find anything important, we might need to tell Aunt Minerva. You're right, we need help. More than just our friends. We're going to need adult help at some point."

With that agreed, the two left the Room to go find dinner.

**XXX**

Late into the next week, Harry had some time in between classes, so he decided to spend it in the Room of Requirement. He had checked out a few books from the library that he thought might prove useful in their research on Voldemort, and as he paced the hall three times, he thought of a place he could use to study.

Opening the door, he considered that maybe he hadn't been quite as specific as he thought he was. Clearly, he had still been thinking of places they could find useful information.

The Room had provided him an impressive library.

"Harry?"

Harry turned quickly, and smiled as Ginny joined him; the two had the same free period, and while she should probably have been doing homework, they both agreed that defeating Voldemort was pretty important. She had brought her bookbag though, so that she could do some school work while Harry looked for information on the Dark Lord.

Together, they walked into the library, and Ginny gasped at the sight. "Wow," she breathed, looking at the floor to ceiling shelves filled with books. "Where did it all come from?"

Harry shrugged. "This Room has been here probably since the castle was built. It's probably been collecting books that long as well. Books that get lost, books that are hidden… these could have come from anywhere. I didn't mean to call this room up, but I guess I was thinking partly of a place to study, and partly of where we could find more information. Maybe what we're looking for is here."

Ginny looked around for a moment longer, before she turned back to Harry. "Don't show Hermione this room," she suggested, smirking. "She'll never leave."

Harry chuckled, and headed to check out the shelves after depositing the books he had been holding on a nearby table. Ginny sat down and began writing an essay while Harry searched.

It was perhaps an hour later when Harry's voice drew her out of her homework. "Hey, Gin? Check this out."

Ginny looked up to see Harry standing beside her. In his hands was a very worn looking book.

_Please review!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: don't own**

Ginny furrowed her brow at the book in Harry's hands. "What is it?" she asked curiously, putting her quill down.

Harry took a seat, and opened the book. "It's the sixth year Potions textbook, but that's not what caught my interest. This whole book… it's almost like the Charms book you gave me last year. You know, the one that used to belong to my mum." Ginny nodded, and looked as Harry flipped through the pages. "The whole thing is filled with notes. Not just potions notes, either. There's what looks to be invented spells too."

Ginny leaned over and read with him. "There's no explanation for the spells though," she stated, confused.

Harry nodded. "I noticed that. There are a few explanations, like this one." He pointed to a particular spell. It was just one word: Sectumsempra. And the description: For enemies. Harry furrowed his brow.

"Do you know who the book belonged to?" Ginny asked, shifting in her seat.

Harry shook his head. "It doesn't have a name in it, just this." He flipped the book over to the back cover, where a single sentence was written across the bottom.

Ginny frowned. "Property of the Halfblood Prince. What?"

Harry shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't think we should try out any of these spells until we figure out what they do."

Ginny agreed, and they set the book aside. "Whom should we tell about this?" she asked. "Professor McGonagall?"

Harry bit his lip. "I was thinking Professor Snape," he admitted. "He is a Potions Master, after all. And I don't really trust Slughorn."

Ginny nodded, and they decided to talk to the Defense professor before the end of the week.

**XXX**

Classes, Prefect duties, Quidditch, and everything else were so intense that it was the next weekend before they were able to actually find the time to speak with Professor Snape in private.

Harry told his friends that he and Ginny would join them in the Room of Requirement in a couple of hours, and left them all there, practicing either Occlumency or their animagus forms, or catching up on homework, as he and Ginny made their way down to the dungeons.

Harry knocked twice on the door to Snape's private quarters, and waited for his brusque "Enter," before he pushed the door open and led Ginny inside.

_How did you know where his private rooms are? _Ginny asked as they closed the door behind them.

Harry shrugged. _Would it sound weird if I said that Hogwarts told me?_ Ginny pursed her lips, and Harry grimaced. _I know it sounds incredibly strange, but it's the best I can explain it. I really think the castle told me._

Ginny gave a mental sigh. _It's probably an 'Heir of Gryffindor' thing,_ she agreed.

Snape looked at the pair of Gryffindors and raised an eyebrow. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company on a Saturday morning?" he drawled, keeping the curiosity out of his voice, and successfully conveying a discontentment with their company this early on a weekend.

Harry swallowed. "Professor, a few days ago, Ginny and I were studying, and I came across a strange book. I was wondering if you could possibly take a look."

Snape frowned, and set down the potions journal he had been reading. "Strange how?" he asked, leaning forward and gesturing for them to take a seat.

Harry bit his lip and looked back at the door, before turning to face Snape again. Understanding the hint, Snape pulled out his wand and cast a few privacy wards, before he gestured for them to speak once more.

Harry pulled out the book and set it on the table. Snape reached forward and picked the innocent-looking object up. His gasp was audible as he flipped through the book, and the two students looked at each other, confused.

"Sir?" Harry asked cautiously.

Snape jerked his head up and looked at the sixth year. "Where… How did you find this?"

Harry shared a look with Ginny, and when she nodded, he turned back to the professor. "There's a room that we found that can become whatever you want. It's called the Room of Requirement. I asked it for a place to study, and it provided us with a library. I was looking through the books and I found it. Professor, what's wrong?"

Snape took a deep shuddering breath, and set the book down carefully. "I am glad that you had the foresight to bring this to someone's attention before trying anything written in this book." He swallowed harshly, and continued, "This was my Potions textbook when I was in school."

Harry frowned, and shifted in his seat, but he didn't speak, since Snape kept going.

"I've told you a few things about my time at school, Harry, and the person who invented some of these spells… he wasn't that concerned with the recipient's welfare."

"Why does it say 'Property of the Halfblood Prince' on the back," Ginny asked curiously.

Snape sighed. "My mother's surname was Prince, and as she married a muggle, that makes me a halfblood. To be honest, I probably wrote that because I wanted to make myself seem more important."

Harry bit his lip, his hand finding Ginny's under the table. She squeezed reassuringly. "None of the spells had descriptions, so we felt it best not to try any of them out until we could figure out what they did, but I did look through some of the changes you made to various potions in the book. They seemed like they would greatly improve the finished product."

Snape nodded, the ghost of a smile making its way to his face. "I was always interested in potions. Your mother actually helped me with a few of the improvements."

Harry grinned. "Really?" He always loved hearing about his parents, especially when it was more than just someone telling him how much he looked like them.

Snape's ghost of a smile widened minutely. "Indeed. Though she chose to study for a Charms Mastery, she could easily have completed a Potions Mastery if she had wanted to. She was the only one to truly challenge me in our seven years at school. We often fought for the top spot in Potions in our year."

Harry beamed, and Snape inclined his head. "You have inherited many of her strengths, Harry. If I might make a suggestion, you might want to consider going through your own textbook and seeing if you can find any improvements in the potions yourself. Improving already developed potions is the first step. If you have the drive and the desire, eventually you could end up creating your own."

Harry blinked, surprised. He hadn't really thought about the possibility of inventing his own potions, but it did sound intriguing. He wasn't sure he wanted to go for a Mastery in the subject though.

Snape licked his lips and looked down at the book. "If you want, I can go through this with you at some point, and tell you about the spells I invented. Some of them should never be used, but there are others that could come in handy."

Harry nodded. "I'd like that," he said eagerly.

The Defense professor chuckled slightly. They spent another hour talking about the book, and Snape taught Harry and Ginny a few useful spells that he had invented, such as Muffliatto, which caused those around him to develop a sort of buzzing in their ears, Langlock, a spell that caused the recipient's tongue to stick to the roof of his or her mouth, and Levicorpus, which caused someone to be hoisted up by their ankle comically. He did, however, warn them against some of the darker spells he had invented, such as Sectumsempra, which was far worse than the cutting curse, and needed a specialized counter in order to reverse the effects. It would cause someone to bleed out quickly if the counter wasn't applied, and Severus was very serious as he told them that they should never consider using it unless the circumstances were extremely dire.

As the morning continued on, the conversation turned to other topics, and Harry found himself telling the professor he had once felt a very strong dislike for about their musings on Voldemort's survival fifteen years earlier.

Snape frowned as Harry voiced their research project. "I admit the question has crossed my mind," he confessed. "I have never been able to come up with an answer, however, he must have done something to have survived that night."

Harry shrugged and nodded. "That's what we were thinking. We've been doing some looking, but haven't found anything yet." He looked at Ginny, and she leaned forward slightly.

"Professor, we were wondering if you would be willing to help us. Your knowledge would be a huge help," the youngest Weasley reasoned.

Snape pursed his lips, before he nodded slowly. "I will help where I can."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Professor. I just know that this is the key to bringing Voldemort down."

Snape flinched slightly at the Dark Lord's name, but didn't comment.

Harry hesitated, and then continued. "We'd appreciate it if you would keep this and any information we discover a secret."

Snape nodded, his eyes sharp and probing. "You don't want Dumbledore to find out," he observed, his voice emotionless.

Harry was the one to flinch this time, but he nodded readily enough. "I don't trust the headmaster, for obvious reasons. I just… I don't want to give him an opening. He seems to be under the impression that he's the only one who can lead this war, but he's not doing a great job."

Snape snorted, agreeing wholeheartedly, though his place as a professor didn't necessarily mean he could come right out and say something negative about the headmaster, at least not while at the school.

Harry smiled slightly, seeing the professor's agreement. "He's so wrapped up in his schemes and second chances, that he can't see all he's doing to hurt the war effort and the wizarding world. How many people have been hurt because he let some Death Eater off with a warning?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Albus is many things, but those former colleagues of mine who were let off the last time around were not afforded that opportunity because of him."

Harry nodded understandingly. "I know that," he placated. "Those parasites were let off because they bribed the right officials, all while our supposed righteous and fair justice system threw my godfather in Azkaban without a trial." Harry's tone was mocking and derisive, but Ginny's grip on his hand calmed him and he made himself take a deep breath. "No, I know Dumbledore wanted those people locked up. I'm talking about now. He knew that Malfoy is the reason I ended up at the Ministry last June, but he wouldn't take any action. It's only because of Amelia that the prick was suspended. If he continues to send the message that people can get away with whatever they feel like, why would any of them want to change?"

Snape sighed. "I understand your reasoning, and I do agree. Stunners will only go so far. At a certain point, we need to start fighting actively, rather than reactively."

Harry nodded eagerly. "Exactly. This is what we're doing right now. The key to bringing down Voldemort is in his past. I just know it."

Snape could feel the weariness creeping in. What Harry was suggesting made sense, but it also meant a lot of work and effort, with very little hope of a payoff. "You realize how much of a wild hippogriff chase this is, right?"

Harry chuckled at the wizarding take on the muggle phrase, before he nodded again, this time more soberly. "I know. But we have to try, right? This is about ending the war, and for the first time, I actually feel like that's possible. We have a chance. It won't be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is, right?"

Ginny smiled and leaned over to give her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. "Very true," she agreed. She looked at the Defense professor. "We've heard time and again how we shouldn't keep secrets, and let the adults handle it. We can't just 'let the adults handle it', Professor. This isn't your war anymore. It's ours as well. The prophecy is about Harry and Voldemort; he'll be right there in the thick of it and I'll be damned if I let him fight alone."

Harry smiled softly. "We're a team, Gin. You've made that quite clear by this point."

Ginny nodded decisively. "Too right. We've come to you, Professor, out of courtesy, and because we know we can trust you to help us and not try to keep us out of it. We plan on bringing in our friends, as well as Sirius and Professor McGonagall, but to be honest, you're probably the only one we knew would treat us as competent adults."

Snape frowned. "How so?" he asked curiously.

Harry sighed. "Sirius and Aunt Minerva are really good about keeping me informed and making sure I can defend myself, but when it comes down to it, they're my guardians and their first instinct is to protect me. You, however, are more direct and more likely to treat us as equals. You expect us to be able to handle it."

Snape almost smiled at the assessment and inclined his head. "Very well. I will not tell anyone, and help out where I can. I trust that you will share any information likewise."

Harry nodded. "We'll work together. If we find anything of interest, we will keep you informed."

As it was almost lunchtime, Harry and Ginny went upstairs to join their friends, deflecting any questions about what they had been doing. They would tell their friends everything, but only after Blaise, Daphne, and Luna had mastered Occlumency. It would happen soon, he knew. Maybe within the next few months.

The rest of the day was spent in the Room of Requirement, with the two Slytherins and Ravenclaw practicing their Occlumency, while Harry exercised his Legilimancy. He was pleased with the progress – both his and his friends. He had managed to briefly get through Blaise and Daphne's defenses, but both of them knew he was there, and were able to forcibly eject him. Luna's mind just gave him a headache, and he sympathized with Jason, who had had to sit down to regain his footings after testing Harry's defenses.

That afternoon, Ginny let him in willingly, so that he could attempt to gain some sort of idea of how to navigate someone else's mindscape. She knew what he was trying to do, and supported him wholeheartedly, helping him out where she could.

When it was time for dinner, all of them felt mentally exhausted as they trooped down to the Great Hall.

**XXX**

The next week, Snape started them off on nonverbal spells in Defense class. "As you have all made it into the NEWT class, you should all possess the ability to perform spells without verbal incantations. Pair up, one person firing a silent stinging hex, while the other attempts to block with a silent shield charm."

There was a flurry of movement as people broke into pairs. Harry found himself pairing up with Susan, off to one side. Ron and Hermione were next to him, and nearby, Neville and Hannah Abbott were practicing.

While Harry had had some practice with nonverbal spells, he was the exception. His friends had helped him with the skill before the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, but they hadn't developed the skill themselves.

Predictably, ten minutes into the lesson, Hermione managed to completely and silently block Ron's whispered stinging hex. Harry smiled proudly at his friend, as he waited for Susan to succeed. He was sure she'd get it, if the determination on her face was anything to go by.

However, Snape drew their attention before she was victorious. "Disgraceful," he commented. "By this point, you should all have some success. Perhaps some sort of demonstration is in order."

Without even giving a warning, he turned suddenly and fired off a silent spell, which Harry blocked with ease. Snape's lip curled into something like a smirk, and he fired again. Harry smiled slightly, and blocked the jelly legs jinx, followed by a hair growing jinx, a toenail growing hex, and another stinging hex, before Snape lowered his wand. "Five points to Gryffindor," he said calmly. The entire room was shocked for several moments, before Snape barked at them to get back to work.

By the end of the lesson, Neville and Susan had both had success at nonverbal spells, while Ron was feeling a little frustrated, though he was determined to get it.

Harry promised the class, as they made their way down the corridor, that they would practice at the DA meeting that week, and every week until they all felt comfortable with the new skill.

**XXX**

The first Hogsmeade visit of the term was that Saturday. Harry made plans with his friends to meet up for lunch, before he and Ginny wandered off into the village.

They spent most of the morning visiting the various shops. Ginny needed some more parchment, and Harry wanted to check out the bookstore.

As they were making their way down the road towards the Three Broomsticks, Harry got a niggling feeling in his stomach. He looked around, frowning. Following his lead, Ginny also made herself aware of their surroundings.

_What's going on, Harry?_ she asked, observing the crowds around them.

Harry bit his lip. _I'm not sure_, he admitted. _I just feel like someone's watching me._

Ginny immediately intensified her efforts, but to her eyes, no one was paying them undue attention.

Suddenly, Harry moved, closing in on an alley in between two shops to their right. There was a muffled shout and a yell, and then Harry had his hand closed around a strange man's throat, his wand trained on the ragamuffin.

"'Ere now, let me go!" the man wheezed.

Harry made no move to comply. "Why are you following me?" he demanded.

The man tried to protest, but it was hard to make out words around the wheezing.

Suddenly there were two more people there, pulling Harry off the stranger. Harry tensed briefly, before recognizing Remus and Tonks, and relaxing.

"We'll take care of this, Harry," Remus placated. "You should go join your friends for lunch."

"Who is he, Remus?" Harry asked curiously, calming down slightly.

Remus sighed, throwing a glare at the scruffy man who was currently withering under the look Tonks was giving him. "His name's Mundungus Fletcher," the werewolf told Harry and Ginny. "He's part of Dumbledore's Order. I believe Albus may have set Fletcher on you as some sort of 'protection'. Or he just wants to keep an eye on you." Remus snorted derisively, and began to lead the two students back towards the nearby pub. "Fletcher couldn't curse his way out of a paper bag, but you didn't hear that from me. He's a lowlife, and the only reason he's not in prison right now is because he knows how to trade in information. He's good at giving up the right information to get his own charges dropped. On the other hand, he's also useful for getting information about the dirty underside of life. I suppose that's why Dumbledore puts up with him."

Harry shook his head. He understood the need to have contacts everywhere, but why did Dumbledore feel the need to have him followed? It was just another strike against the old man.

He and Ginny said goodbye to Remus and joined their friends at a large table off to one side of the pub. Most of them were already there, and Neville and Hannah joined them as Harry and Ginny sat down.

After a filling meal, they were off again, this time breaking up into larger groups. Neville and Hannah joined Blaise, Daphne, Luna, and Colin, while Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Susan went off in a different direction. Susan tried not to let it show how much it hurt to see Neville with someone else. She was happy for him; he was her friend. But that didn't mean she was completely comfortable seeing him on a date with another girl. Even if that girl was a good friend of hers. She tried to quash down the annoyance that Hannah hadn't even asked her if it was all right if she went on a date with Susan's ex.

After spending the afternoon enjoying the village and the fresh air, they made their way back to the castle, hurriedly eating their supper before heading up for the DA meeting.

**XXX**

The beginning of October came before Harry had even realized it. By the time the month was half over, he was already counting the days until the Christmas holidays. He had turned down no less than four invitations for get togethers by Slughorn, and he was getting tired of it.

His friends had all received the same courtesy, but as their feelings were on par with Harry's, they didn't attend any of the parties either. After the first two, Harry made a point of scheduling Quidditch practices for any night Slughorn planned a party for. It gave him a ready-made excuse to say no – it also provided one for Ron and Ginny, which made them happy.

October was quickly coming to a close, and Harry found himself thinking about Halloween. He realized ruefully that he and Ginny were coming up on their two-year anniversary. They hadn't celebrated last year, as Harry had been too preoccupied thinking about it being the anniversary of his parents' deaths.

Slughorn had put together another party for Halloween night, and managed to corner Harry on his way back to the common room one evening the week beforehand. Harry regretted being alone, but the others were doing homework, and Harry had just gone to talk to Minerva about some DA things.

The professor expressed his disappointment that Harry had been unable to join them so far, and hoped he would see him that evening. "After all, you can't very well have Quidditch practice that late when it's dark out, right?" he chuckled humorously.

Harry shrugged. "I already have plans that night, Professor. I'm sorry, but I can't make it." He didn't wait for a reply, and hurried towards the common room.

**XXX**

On the last day of October, Harry and Ginny separated from their friends before dinner, and made their way to the Room of Requirement.

After a quite filling meal, courtesy of Dobby, the couple spent some quality time dancing to the soft music the wireless provided them with.

_I'm sorry_, Harry said through their bond as they swayed in time to the music.

Ginny frowned. _For what?_ she asked, genuinely curious.

Harry sighed. _We didn't celebrate our anniversary last year. I was so caught up on it being the anniversary of my parents' deaths that I didn't think about it being the day we got together._

Ginny shook her head. _It's understandable, Harry. You didn't even know when they died until you came to Hogwarts, and since then, something's always come in the way of you truly mourning them. _She smirked. _And technically, we got together early on the morning of November First._

Harry stared at her, gobsmacked, until she huffed impatiently. He smiled slightly, and nodded, leaning down to kiss her. _Thanks, Gin. I love you, you know that?_

Ginny's smirk widened. _You know, I think I've heard something like that before. Somewhere._

When it started to get late, Harry pulled out a small box and handed it to Ginny. She smiled, and handed him a wrapped box of her own.

Harry opened the present to find a leather belt. Engraved on the belt buckle was an impressively accurate depiction of a phoenix, its wings extended as if it were about to flame travel.

Ginny, meanwhile, had opened her own gift to find a beautiful gold ring, with a phoenix on top.

The two chuckled a little. _Great minds think alike?_ Harry wondered, amused.

Ginny snorted, slipping the ring onto her right hand. _Something like that._

Harry kissed her, putting all his feelings into the action. When they pulled apart, Ginny looked a little dazed. Harry smiled. "Come on, we should get back before curfew."

Ginny nodded, and followed him out of the room.

_Please review!_


	8. Chapter 8

**A lot of people have been guessing at how I'm going to deal with the horcrux in Harry, and though some of you have come close or are on the right track, no one has gotten it yet! So I've decided to offer up a sort of prize, if you will. To anyone who guesses right, I will send you a little sneak preview of the next chapter! I have definitely given some hints throughout the last couple of stories, since I've known how I was going to deal with that horcrux pretty much since I started writing this series. I'm not going to cap it off at the first person to guess right, because I'll want to give that person recognition, and people will go through the reviews to look for the right answer. I was going to give whoever got the answer right a sneak peak at the final book, but then I realized that it wouldn't make too much sense out of context, and would probably give a whole lot of stuff away about this story. So everyone get your guesses in! **

**Disclaimer: not mine**

The next week, Harry had hardly any time to devote to his extracurricular studies. The first Quidditch match of the season was that weekend, and it was Gryffindor versus Slytherin.

While it was true that the game might be a little more civilized without Malfoy and the upper years who had made up the majority of the team the year before, the rivalry between those two Houses was ingrained, and wouldn't change any time soon. At least now it was more likely to stay friendly and on the Pitch, rather than in the corridors between classes.

Harry knew that Theo had had his hands full picking an entirely new team. He was relieved, but not entirely surprised, that the new Captain had failed to pick Crabbe and Goyle to return to their spots as beaters. The two troll-like boys, however, were less than thrilled. Harry had observed them muttering with Pansy Parkinson and a few seventh years in deserted hallways, which did nothing to set his mind at ease. He warned Blaise and Daphne to keep an eye on them, but beyond that, there wasn't much he could do.

He mentioned his worries to Snape, managing to get the professor alone by staying after class, but Snape just nodded, sighing. "I've noticed it as well," he admitted, rubbing a hand tiredly across his face as he surreptitiously put up a few privacy wards to keep any unwanted ears from hearing them. "I'm keeping an eye on them," he gave a pointed look at Harry, and the teenager knew that meant Snape was using passive Legilimancy to monitor their thoughts, "But they have to have had at least some minor training in keeping that information from getting into the wrong hands. Without a more concentrated attack, I won't be able to find out what they're whispering about. Just observe, Potter. If you notice anything, don't keep it to yourself."

Harry nodded, and rushed off to catch up to his friends.

**XXX**

Gryffindor dominated the field that Saturday. After forty-five minutes of play, the lions were up 100-10, and the snitch had yet to appear. After a brief time out, Harry decided to switch up his team, to give the reserve members a chance to see some action. He put in Seamus for Dean at beater, and switched Natalie for Demelza. He wanted everyone to be comfortable playing in a real game, and it was better for them to get that experience when they were up by ninety, rather then needing to go in because they were down a player and losing by fifty.

The next hour increased the margin by another seventy points, as Harry switched out his reserves and starters several more times. Finally, Harry decided to put the Slytherins out of their misery, and dropped into a steep dive, catching the snitch and cementing the final score at 350-40.

The red and gold section burst into cheers as the team lowered to the ground. They were soon surrounded by students clapping them on the back, shaking their hands, and congratulating them.

After a few minutes, Harry managed to make himself heard above the crowd. "Party in the common room!" he shouted, to an approving roar.

The team headed to the locker room, while everyone else made their way back up to the castle.

It was an interesting experience, Harry reflected as he changed out of his Quidditch gear, to play a game with Slytherin and not have to worry about foul play. For the first time, the Slytherin team was entirely friendly. Without Malfoy and his ilk, they were able to play the game the way it should be played. While Theo Nott wasn't what one would call 'friendly', he wasn't on board with the pureblood supremacist act, and he was able to get along with most people, and the new Slytherin team was built of more open-minded members of the House.

**XXX**

The party that followed lasted well into the evening and early morning, with the entire House celebrating their victory. Harry had cajoled the house elves into supplying enough food to feed the entire school, and he and Ginny took one of the secret passages into Hogsmeade to provide the butterbeer.

Everyone congratulated the new players, pleased with the team they had this year.

Harry watched the gathering with a smile, off to the side with his friends.

"It was a good move, putting in the reserves," Hermione commented, taking a sip of her drink.

Harry nodded. "I thought it would be good to give them a chance to play. Experience and all that. Better when we're ahead, right?"

"Exactly," Ron agreed. "Give them the opportunity to see what a real game's like, so that when we need them for some reason, they won't be completely green. It's good strategy."

Harry grinned. "Coming from the master of strategy himself, I'll take that as a great compliment."

Ron turned beet red, and took a large swallow of his drink.

Minerva finally had to come up and tell them all to go to bed around three o'clock in the morning, but there was a slight smile on her face as she did so, so they knew she wasn't really mad.

**XXX**

Early in the next week, Harry and Ginny were walking a patrol after curfew, talking through their bond as they walked the corridors.

_I've been thinking about something_, Harry said, his mental voice hesitant, something that caught Ginny's interest immediately.

_What is it, Harry? _she asked curiously.

Harry bit his lip. _The diary._

Ginny froze, remembering her hellish first year. _What about it?_ she asked uncertainly.

Harry sighed. _I just… I was thinking about what it did. _He saw Ginny flinch, and squeezed her hand reassuringly. _What if it was more than just a memory preserved in a book?_

Ginny frowned, her heart racing slightly. _You think Voldemort did something?_

Harry nodded. _The more I think about it, the more I think there was more to that diary than just an old memory. If it were really a memory, it wouldn't have been able to affect you the way it did._

Ginny pursed her lips, thinking about it. _It does make sense_, she replied slowly. _Should we talk to Snape?_

Harry nodded. _I think that would be best. He might have an idea of what kind of magic could have created the diary._

They agreed to speak with the professor soon, and continued on their route.

**XXX**

Keeping their promise to themselves, that weekend, Ginny and Harry once more found themselves in Snape's private quarters, speaking with the professor about things they really wished they didn't have to worry about.

Snape listened to their theories – or lack thereof, since they really had no idea what it could be beyond just an errant thought – with interest. When Harry finished speaking, he frowned thoughtfully. "Your speculation does make a sick sort of sense," he commented. "I know that diary set Albus jumping, but I didn't know why. It looks like you may be following his train of thought."

Harry bit his lip. "Do you have any ideas?" he asked curiously.

Snape nodded slightly. "A few thoughts. Nothing concrete. I'll do some research and let you know."

The teenagers had to be content with that, and they knew they would be looking into it as well, so they said their goodbyes and headed up to meet their friends.

They all spent the day in the Room of Requirement, practicing Occlumency and animagus training, or working on various assignments.

Harry practiced his Legilimancy, and wasn't able to get into any of their minds without their consent, which made him happy. Ginny let him in willingly, and he spent most of the morning exploring her mind.

That afternoon, he sent off a letter to Jason Holding, asking him for theories on how someone might go about rebuilding a mind. He thought he was improving with Legilimancy, and he wanted to start thinking about the next step of his plan. Legilimancy was just one part of it; it would take a lot more than a basic grasp of the art to cure someone who had lost their minds to the Cruciatus Curse.

**XXX**

A few days later, he received a response, which though helpful, didn't necessarily aide in his research.

Instead, Jason gave him the name of a healer at St. Mungos who specialized in the Cruciatus Curse, and who might have a better idea of how to go about rebuilding the mind, since she knew more about how the curse destroyed it than just about anyone.

The answer he received from the Healer was both thought provoking and hopeful.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I have been studying the Cruciatus Curse for over twenty years now, and you somehow managed to summarize everything I've been attempting to accomplish in just a few sentences. Most of the wizarding world is under the impression that this curse is irreversible, I believe there may yet be a cure._

_The key lies in the damaged mind itself, I believe. It is not simply a matter of learning Legilimancy. The art alone won't be enough to rebuild the mind. That kind of process would take more than the type of knowledge we have today. However, I do believe you are correct in your train of thought. The solution may very well lie in the art of Legilimancy. But there is more to it than simply being able to see into the damaged mind. We have attempted this before, and there simply seems to be no way to rebuild what has been destroyed._

_I would very much be interested in speaking with you more about your ideas. If you have a thought on how to further our progress, I would love to hear them._

_Healer Jessica Winsby_

_St. Mungos_

Harry knew the healer was correct – Legilimancy alone wouldn't solve anything. What he needed to do was evolve the art into something more. He briefly considered the idea of writing to Augusta Longbottom to let her know what he was planning, but he tossed it just as quickly as it occurred to him. For the same reason he wasn't telling Neville, he didn't want to tell Augusta. He would hate it if she built up false hope and he just let her down.

**XXX**

As the rest of the school attended the Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff Quidditch game on the second to last Saturday of November, Harry and Ginny quietly separated themselves from the crowd and made their way down to the dungeons.

Snape let them in and set up several privacy wards before gesturing for them to take a seat. "I've been doing a lot of quiet research, since you came to me with your theories. When you told me about the diary, some possibilities presented themselves. I wanted to ask a few more questions, but I think I might know what the Dark Lord did." He paused, and looked almost sorry at what he had to do next. "Miss Weasley, can you tell me about what happened when you wrote in the diary?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "It felt almost like he was pulling my soul out of me, using me to come back to life. Every time I wrote in it, I felt a little less human."

Harry took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

Snape nodded like that was the answer he expected to hear. "Have either of you ever heard of a horcrux?" The teenagers shook their heads, and Snape sighed. "I didn't think so. In plain terms, creating a horcrux is one of the most heinous crimes a person can commit. Basically, it is a vessel in which someone hides a portion of their soul. It is an insurance policy, I believe the muggles would say. If the person were to be killed, the horcrux would stop their soul from passing on."

"And they would be able to come back," Harry whispered.

Snape nodded again, this time more soberly. "I believe the diary may have been one such vessel."

"But then, if it was destroyed, wouldn't that solve the problem?" Ginny asked, feeling a little calmer with Harry rubbing small circles on the palm of her hand.

Harry shook his head, knowing what Snape was thinking. "Not if the bastard made more than one."

Snape sighed. "The Dark Lord is a megalomaniac. He's a narcissist. He wouldn't have stopped at just one."

"How does one go about making a horcrux?" Ginny asked curiously. She wondered why more people didn't try to use this as a way to stop from dying, though based on what she was hearing, there was probably a good reason for that.

Snape's eyes darkened, and Harry sucked in a breath. "Murder," he breathed. "That's how, isn't it?"

Snape nodded, agreeing. "One creates a horcrux by taking a life. There is a ritual involved, but the process includes sending an innocent soul along in place of your own. It is horrendous, and it does not surprise me that the Dark Lord would choose to employ this safeguard."

A heavy silence permeated the air as they processed the information that had been uncovered in that conversation.

Both Snape and Ginny looked strangely at Harry as he let out a snort. "I wonder who cursed you, Professor," he commented.

Snape raised an eyebrow, confused. As far as he knew, he hadn't been cursed recently.

Harry chuckled, knowing that the professor was thinking literally. "There's this old Chinese curse, pretty well known in the muggle world, that goes 'may you live in interesting times," he explained.

Snape nodded, understanding. "Whoever it was, they had better hope I never catch up to them."

Harry and Ginny laughed. "I hope you'll let me get a few shots in as well," Harry said, calming down. "I'm all for a little excitement and adventure, but I could do without the megalomaniac trying to kill me."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I think we all could."

After another minute of silence, Harry sighed. "So we have to find out how many of these horcruxes Voldemort created, where they are, what they are, and that's not even getting into finding them and destroying them." He shook his head. "It sounds like an impossible task, and yet, I can't help but feel hopeful."

Snape looked at him like he was crazy, but Ginny nodded thoughtfully. "For the first time, I feel like this war can be won. You're right, Harry. It sounds incredibly impossible, but we now have an idea of what to do to stop him."

Harry grinned at his girlfriend. "Did you hear what you just said, Gin? We can _win_." He looked at Snape. "We can win," he repeated, his voice steely and determined, his eyes overly bright.

For the first time in almost two decades, Snape actually felt hopeful. This war under Harry's lead gave him so much more surety than Albus' twinkling eyes and false assurances. In just a few weeks, Harry had come up with a way to beat the Dark Lord, once and for all. No prophecy, no second chances. Just certainty.

The Defense professor actually felt himself smiling, as he nodded, his obsidian eyes meeting and holding Harry's bright green gaze. "We have a chance," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

All three of them felt the immensity of those words settle around them. The responsibility of what they had to do, the knowledge that they held… realistically speaking, they could make or break this war. With what they knew, they could actually end this.

Snape coughed. "You should get back to mingle with crowds returning from the match. I believe it goes without saying that what we've discussed here should not leave this room."

Harry bit his lip. "I won't keep secrets from my friends. I was always planning on telling them, I just wanted to run the theory by you first. I think you could be a great asset, with your role in the last war and this one. But the three of us can't do this alone." He smiled slightly and looked down a few inches into Ginny's comforting gaze. "It took me a long time to realize that I don't have to do everything by myself." He looked back at Snape, his gaze fiery. "Together, we're stronger."

Snape sighed and nodded. "I do understand that, Harry. I just don't want to risk any word of this getting out. Can you imagine what could happen if the Dark Lord were to discover what we know?"

Harry winced, but acquiesced. "If and when we discuss this, I promise we'll employ every privacy ward and charm we can. We've got a room we can use that we can set to not let anyone in without our consent. Most of us have rock hard Occlumency shields, and the rest are getting there. I think within the next couple of months, they'll be there, and then I'll share everything."

"I think we should think about how to utilize everyone best, before we act," Ginny commented idly. When Harry and Snape looked at her, she elaborated, "It will do no good to give them all this information if we don't know how we're going to go about using it. Each of our friends has their own strengths and weaknesses. We need to be smart about this. Professor Snape is right, if word of this were to leak out, it could be catastrophic."

Harry nodded grimly. "Understood. We'll form a plan first. Maybe by the Christmas holidays we'll have a better idea." He stood up, pulling Ginny with him. "Thank you for hearing us out, Professor. If we come up with any ideas, we'll let you know. But we should get back to the crowds. I think we've outlasted the game at this point."

Indeed, they could all hear the muted sounds of voices coming from above them, indicating that the Quidditch match was over and students were returning to the castle.

Snape took down the wards and watched as the two teenagers left. He felt much wearier than he had before their visit, but despite that, he couldn't help but feel like a weight had been lifted.

For the first time in over twenty years, _they had a chance_.

**XXX**

Ravenclaw had won the Quidditch match, in what sounded like a very close race, according to Ron, who gave the team Captain a play-by-play account of everything he had missed. As Captain, Harry was grateful, since he got the opportunity to hear a little about the two teams they still had yet to play.

As the castle died down in the aftermath of the Quidditch hype, Hogwarts entered into December, and the last few weeks of the term.

Harry and his friends were as busy studying as ever, though Harry and Ginny also spent some time – what little time they could – discussing their newfound knowledge and their talk with Snape. Blaise, Luna, and Daphne were getting pretty good with Occlumency, and Harry thought they would probably be as good as they could get by Christmas. He told them all to contact Jason and set up a time where he could test their shields over the holiday break, just to be certain. His own Legilimancy was getting pretty good as well, and he was becoming very savvy at navigating the mind. Ginny was the only one who really felt comfortable letting him in, but he had learned a bit in his testing of the others.

Two weeks before the break, Harry and the others received an invitation to yet another Slughorn party, this one a Christmas get together. The word was, Slughorn was inviting a few graduated students that he had taught, 'back in the day'. Ginny had had a bit of a 'fan girl' moment, when she had heard the rumor that Gwenog Jones, Captain of the Holyhead Harpies, was going to be there.

Harry still wasn't sure, but he agreed to attend, in the spirit of the holiday. He didn't really have an excuse, after all, since the school would be going into break just a few days later, so there was no pressing need to schedule a Quidditch practice. The same sort of reasoning went for having to study. When Harry told the others that he and Ginny were going, they were quick to accept their invites as well.

The big talk of the days leading up to the party was Neville asking Hannah Abbott to go, as his girlfriend. He and Susan had been one of the well-known couples of last year – right up there with Harry and Ginny, and Ron and Hermione. The gossip mill had run rampant after their break up, and the fact that Neville was now dating Susan's roommate was a great source of interest. It annoyed all the affected parties, but they tried to ignore it.

Susan had squashed down the jealousy she felt when Hannah came into their room squealing about how Neville had asked her to be his girlfriend, and the next day, accepted a date with Theo Nott when he asked her to the party.

**XXX**

When Harry and Ginny arrived in the room Slughorn had set up for the party, he took a moment to look around, impressed despite himself. The room had been dressed with gold hangings on the windows, gold streamers cascading down from the ceiling, interspersed with shimmering stars. One long table was set up along the far wall, almost groaning at the amount of food on it.

He escorted Ginny back in that direction, nodding at a few friends he saw in the crowd. There were a surprising number of people who were older – guests that Slughorn had invited, probably students he had taught once upon a time.

"Harry! Ginny!" the two looked over at the sound of their names, and smiled at Blaise and Luna, who were getting something to drink. Luna was dressed in a set of dress robes that was very… her. They were navy blue and sparkly, with sleeves that draped down and widened at the end, almost hiding her hands from view. It was an empire waist style, and even though Harry probably wouldn't have chosen it for himself, he thought it looked nice on her. At least she had left her radish earrings in her room.

"Hey," Harry greeted as they joined the pair.

Blaise nodded. "You look nice, Ginny. Did you guys coordinate or something?"

They looked at each other, and chuckled ruefully as they realized that they did indeed match. Ginny was wearing an emerald green dress with just a hint of sparkle on the top when the light hit it. It cut off abruptly at the knee, and showed off her slim and athletic figure quite well.

Harry was wearing black pants with an emerald green button up shirt.

Ron and Hermione joined them at that moment, Ron immediately gravitating towards the food, as Harry and Ginny complimented Hermione's dress. It was a lavender color, with ruffles on one side of the skirt that tied up in a little knot at the waist.

As the evening continued to pass, Harry had to admit that he was actually having a good time. Throughout the term, he had kept his word to observe their Potions professor without making any snap judgments. He could see that Slughorn knew what he was talking about in the classroom; he had no issues with the man as a professor. It was the rest of it that he wasn't all that fond of. Slughorn had his favorites, just like Sirius had said. And it clearly showed, in the way he would pay attention to certain members of different classes more than others. He didn't think the man was bad, or evil. He just wished he wouldn't act so… oh, who was Harry kidding, Slughorn was acting like a Slytherin. There wasn't really anything wrong with that; Harry just wasn't overly fond of the Potions Master's way of going about it.

But he was learning to live with it, and while he wouldn't be calling on Slughorn to watch his back in a fight any time soon, he did think the man was worthy of some level of trust; or at least, he didn't think he had to keep an extra eye out for the man.

Speaking of… Slughorn chose that moment to pop up beside Harry, smiling jovially at the group of students standing there. "Harry! So glad you could come!" He reached out and pulled a young woman forward. "I'd like to introduce you to a former student of mine. Gwenog, this is Harry Potter."

Gwenog Jones, the Captain of the Holyhead Harpies, smiled tightly, nodding at Harry and looking around at the others.

Slughorn coughed lightly. "Well, I'm sure you two would have a lot in common. You're both such fantastic Quidditch players after all! If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the other guests. Cheerio!" He disappeared back into the crowd, and Gwenog rolled her eyes.

"Sorry about that," she said to Harry. "He means well, he's just a little…" words seemed to fail her, but Harry nodded his understanding.

"Yeah, he is," he agreed.

Gwenog smiled, this time a little more genuinely. "He was right, though, we do have a little in common. I've heard a bit about your Quidditch exploits. You've got some great moves under your belt."

Harry blushed slightly, but smiled his thanks. Next to him, Ginny seemed to be in a state of shock. Her dream was to play for the Holyhead Harpies, and here was the team's Captain, standing right there, talking like one person to another.

Harry looked over at his girlfriend, amused by her silence. She wasn't normally so star struck, but he knew that she really wanted to play Quidditch professionally, so he understood her sudden silence.

"This is my girlfriend Ginny," he introduced, nudging the redhead girl slightly. "She's a chaser, and a damn good one at that."

Gwenog raised an eyebrow. "It's nice to meet you, Ginny. You like to play?"

Ginny coughed and nodded, trying to snap out of it. "Oh yes," she grinned. "I'd love to play professionally."

Gwenog tilted her head slightly. "Perhaps I'll have to make a trip out here for a game sometime. If you're any good, I'm sure we'd love to have you."

Ginny felt her heart soar. "I'd appreciate that," she replied. "I know how hard it is to actually get into the game as a pro."

Gwenog nodded, agreeing. "It is difficult, but if you've got the talent and the drive, I'm sure you'll make it."

Ginny smiled. "Thanks," she blushed.

Gwenog glanced around the room. "It was nice to meet you, Harry, Ginny, but I think I've done enough socializing for the night. I'm sure I'll see you again sometime."

She shook both their hands before disappearing into the crowd.

Ginny felt hot all of a sudden, and Harry smirked. "Star struck?" he asked impishly.

Ginny growled lightly and shoved him playfully. "Shut up," she muttered. "Gwenog Jones is like my idol. You know how much I'd love to play with the Harpies."

Harry nodded, putting an arm across her shoulders. "I know, Gin," he soothed. "I was just teasing. She seemed like a nice person."

Ginny smiled. "Yeah. I hope she does come to see a game sometime. I do have a couple of years though."

Harry nodded, and they headed off to get another drink.

A while later found Harry and Ginny alone near the refreshment table. Their friends had dispersed to talk with various visiting contacts of Slughorn's. Hermione had introduced herself to a renowned author of Transfiguration textbooks, including the one they were using for the current school year, while Ron dutifully stood by her side, trying to be interested in the conversation as he ate his way through a plate of snacks.

Blaise and Daphne had met a renowned Potions Mistress, and were thoroughly engaged in fascinated conversation, while Luna was talking animatedly about mystical creatures with an older gentleman, and Neville was speaking with a woman about something that appeared quite interesting, if his eager expression was anything to go by, while Hannah listened, seeming to feign interest if Harry judged her polite smile correctly. Susan had apparently left Theo talking to some of his friends, and decided to join Hermione and Ron, Harry noticed as his observant gaze swept the room once more.

Harry and Ginny were content to talk with each other for a while, both feeling tired from all the socializing. Harry looked up at something Ginny said, and then furrowed his brow as he noted an older man helping himself to some food from the table they were standing beside. He recognized the man from a picture on the back of a book he had read when studying the Wolfsbane potion.

He moved forward quickly. "Mr. Belby?" he asked hesitantly.

The man looked up, startled, and then his eyes widened almost comically. "Mr. Potter!"

Harry nodded sheepishly. "Yeah. Um, I just wanted to introduce myself. I've done a lot of research on the Wolfsbane potion, and I think you did a great thing inventing it. Thank you."

Damocles Belby, the inventor of the Wolfsbane potion, nodded courteously. "It is I who should be thanking you, Mr. Potter. Professor Snape has told me of your improvements, and their success. Congratulations, it really was quite a feat."

Harry blushed, and Ginny smiled, leaning into his side.

Belby nodded again. "Have you considered a career in potions development, Mr. Potter?"

Harry shrugged. "Not really," he admitted. "I've got a lot of interests."

Belby smiled slightly. "Well, if you ever want to talk ideas and potions, please contact me. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter."

Harry grinned and took the hand that Belby offered. "You as well, Mr. Belby."

Ginny reached out and drew Harry closer to her, her hand tightening across his waist. Harry looked down into her warm gaze and smiled.

Ginny nodded decisively. "What more confirmation do you need, Harry? A renowned Potions Master just told you how talented you are. You did good, Potter, so embrace it."

Harry shook his head slightly, but kept smiling. "Yes, dear."

_Please review!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: not mine**

The end of term feast took place a few days after Slughorn's party, and for the most part, was full of joyous laughter and much shouting.

The down note occurred as the main course wrapped up and the desserts appeared. Harry's attention was drawn to the three Aurors that appeared in the doorway. He recognized Kingsley and Tonks, and the third he thought was called Dawlish. He frowned and watched as Minerva came down the aisle to meet them.

The foursome had a whispered conversation by the door, as more students became aware of their presence.

Hermione, Neville, and Ginny were likewise captivated by the scene, though Ron continued to eat with gusto, as normal.

"I hope everything's all right," Ginny murmured anxiously.

Harry nodded, biting his lip nervously.

Minerva turned away from the Aurors, her gaze catching Harry's for a moment, before she looked up to the Head Table. After another moment, Snape stood up, his brow furrowed as he met Minerva at the Slytherin table.

"Oh no," Harry's eyes narrowed as the two professors stopped next to Blaise and Daphne.

Snape gestured for Astoria Greengrass to join her sister, and they held a whispered conversation. It clearly wasn't good news, if the sudden paling of all three students was anything to go by.

Hermione's eyes were wide as she looked at the gathering at Slytherin table. Most people were now watching the proceedings with interest. Even Ron had looked up from his plate.

Shakily, Blaise stood up, helping Daphne clear the bench as well, and the three students followed their Head of House out of the Hall.

Minerva cleared her throat, and all attention turned to her. "Please return to your meals, everyone." She returned to the Head Table and descended into a whispered conversation with Flitwick.

Harry and his friends looked at each other worriedly, not hungry anymore – not even Ron. What they had just seen couldn't be good. Harry was anxious, but he waited until the meal was over before following Minerva to her office, gesturing for his fellow Gryffindors to go on up to the common room ahead of him.

Minerva wasn't surprised when barely thirty seconds after she closed her office door, it opened once more.

Harry walked in and closed the door behind him.

Minerva sighed, taking a seat at her desk. "I'm not sure I should tell you what's happened," she said before her charge could say anything.

Harry bit his lip. "I'm just worried," he replied. "It didn't look like anything good happened."

Minerva sighed, knowing that what had happened was Mister Zabini and the Greengrass girls' business. But Harry was their friend, and he would probably spend the whole night imagining scenarios.

The Transfiguration professor grimaced, leaning forward in her seat. "Kingsley, Tonks, and Dawlish were here to inform the students of an attack on their families."

Harry's heart stuttered. "Is…"

He trailed off, but Minerva understood, and shook her head. "Madam Zabini and Lord Greengrass were injured, but help came in time and the two were removed to Saint Mungos. I am sorry to say that Lady Greengrass didn't make it. An Auror who responded to the call for help was also unfortunately killed."

Harry almost collapsed into a seat. "Daphne…" he mumbled, feeling a pressure behind his eyes that threatened tears. He felt for Astoria as well, but he didn't know the younger girl that well. Daphne had told him that Astoria had picked up many of the spells and lessons that she had passed on from their summer training with great speed. But no matter how well or little he knew them, no one should have to go through the pain of losing a parent this way.

Minerva smiled sadly. "Mister Zabini and the Greengrass girls have collected their belongings and left for Saint Mungos to see their parents. I am sure they would appreciate your sympathy, Harry."

Harry nodded, sniffing slightly. "If they need anything…"

Minerva nodded understandingly. "Lord Greengrass and Madam Zabini might need to spend a few days in the hospital. Perhaps I will suggest that their children spend that time with us? They are more than welcome."

Harry smiled. "Thanks." He paused. "Do you know why they were attacked?"

Minerva let out a deep breath. "From what Kingsley said, the Death Eaters were angry that the two families did not support You-Know-Who's cause."

Harry muttered a curse. "In other words, two neutral but slightly darker families decided to stay out of the war, and the Death Eaters attacked because their kids are friends with the Boy Who Lived."

Minerva shook her head. "You can't blame yourself, Harry. Like you said, they were neutral. They could have been attacked simply for that."

Harry shrugged. "But it must have been clear which direction they were leaning in after Blaise helped me out at the Department of Mysteries last summer."

Minerva winced at the reminder. "Don't blame yourself for the actions of others. That path leads nowhere, and to nothing but pain and self-hatred. Please." She swallowed harshly. "… Voldemort is to blame."

Harry's head snapped up as his guardian used the Dark Lord's name. He knew she must be worried about him and what he might do if he blamed himself, because she normally never used the name. He attempted a smile, and nodded.

"I'll try not to," he assured her.

Minerva noted the way he said 'try', and sighed softly. She was grateful that he was being honest with her, not automatically giving her the answer he thought she wanted to hear. But she really hoped he wouldn't go on a downward spiral, thinking that he was to blame for his friends' parents' predicament.

"You should get some sleep," she said, standing up and moving around the desk to give him a reassuring hug. "The train leaves right after breakfast tomorrow."

Harry nodded, returning the hug gratefully, before he left the office.

**XXX**

When he returned to the common room, Harry found his friends waiting for him in a secluded corner.

In a hushed whisper, Harry told them what had happened.

Hermione inhaled sharply, her hand flying to her mouth, tears in her eyes. "Oh no, that's horrible!" she gasped.

Harry nodded grimly. "I think it's because Blaise and Daphne are friends with me."

Ginny slapped him on the arm. "Harry James Potter, it is _not_ your fault!" she growled.

Harry winced and nodded. "I know," he pacified. "I can't help feeling a little guilty, but I'd rather blame the idiots who actually did it."

Ginny grinned and kissed his cheek. "Good boy."

Ron and Neville snorted, and Hermione let out a small smile.

Growing serious, Neville asked, "Do they need anything? Is there anything we can do?"

Harry shrugged sadly. "From what Aunt Minerva told me, Madam Zabini and Lord Greengrass will be in the hospital for a few days. She's going to offer for Blaise, Daphne, and Astoria to stay with us until their parents are released. I think the best thing is to keep them occupied. Especially Astoria, she's only fourteen. Maybe they'd like to take some frustration out on a few test dummies."

Neville nodded. "That could probably be arranged. Do you know which Death Eaters were involved?"

Harry knew he was on the lookout for any sightings of Bellatrix Lestrange, ever since the woman had escaped with her master last June. He shook his head regretfully. "Sorry, but either Kingsley didn't tell her, or she didn't tell me."

Ron sighed. "We should get some sleep. The train leaves tomorrow morning."

They all nodded their agreement, only now noticing the way the common room had emptied out around them, indicating the late time.

Harry gave Ginny a kiss, and Ron said good night to Hermione, before they all headed up to their dorms.

**XXX**

The train ride was fortunately quiet the next day. Aurors were patrolling the corridors, and put an end to any incidents that cropped up. Word of what had happened at Greengrass Manor and the Zabini Estate had gotten out, and rumors were running wild, especially since none of the students in question had been seen since the Aurors had escorted them from the Great Hall the night before. A few students had stopped by Harry's compartment to ask him, but he wouldn't give out any information. The only reason he had told his friends was because they cared about Blaise and Daphne as well, and they would have been told the details as soon as the next meeting of their circle took place – most likely that evening or the next day.

When the train pulled into Kings Cross, Harry and his friends disembarked to find a contingent of Aurors waiting for them. He was relieved to see Kingsley and Tonks there, but wasn't too keen on the other three people he didn't know. Standing next to them were Molly, Remus, and Augusta.

Molly smiled tightly, her eyes continuously glancing around the platform, looking for threats. "How was your term, dears?" she asked distractedly.

They all mumbled positives, and Molly's expression turned serious. "Right, let's head to the Floo access. No dallying now, and stick close together. Luna, you're coming home with us, your father will pick you up later this evening."

"Where's Sirius?" Harry asked as they made their way to the barrier between Platform Nine and Three Quarters and the muggle side of Kings Cross.

Remus bit his lip, looking around. "He had to take care of some business," he replied quietly. "He'll tell you more later, and he sends his apologies for not being able to pick you up."

Harry nodded, as the group started going through the barrier. "It's fine," he shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure he was all right."

Remus smiled tiredly. "The attack on Madam Zabini and the Greengrasses has stirred up a bit of fuss, both in the government and the community. Sirius has been busy with various members of the Wizengamot, as well as giving some support to the Aurors who are investigating the incident." He saw Harry's worry, and reached out, resting a hand on the teen's shoulder. "He's fine," he reassured his pseudo nephew.

Harry nodded shakily. "Yeah," he muttered, as they reached the Floo access and started going through, heading for their homes.

Once all the teenagers were through, Augusta went. Molly and Remus turned to the Aurors, expressions of gratitude and worry on their faces.

"Thank you for your help," Molly said. "Please tell Amelia that the children are all safe and sound, and we will see her soon."

Kingsley nodded austerely. "Will do. You two should head on through, and then we'll get back to the DMLE."

Molly smiled, and went through, followed by Remus.

**XXX**

Harry was relieved when Sirius came home in time for dinner that evening. Remus had taken Tonks out for dinner, and Amelia and Susan were eating at their home, so it was just Harry, Minerva, and Sirius. Over the meal, the Black Lord told them what had been going on in his day.

"We've talked a lot about the Wizengamot, Harry, so you understand there are basically three factions right now."

Harry nodded. They had had a lot of lessons on government, and what would be expected of him when he became the Lord Potter. "There are usually at least two front runners, who are the face of the different factions, and then the other Lords and Ladies follow those leaders. Right now, there's those who follow Dumbledore, those who follow Voldemort, and those who back you."

Sirius inclined his head, setting his fork down. "I would call the faction that I belong to the neutral group. We don't see Albus as the new Merlin, and we don't think Voldemort's got the right idea. Most of those who have given me their support were neutral in the last war, or they leaned to the light side but did not actively fight. Druella Zabini and Cyrus Greengrass both spoke with me to lend their support soon after my innocence was proven several years ago. Since then, I have spent a good deal of time with them, and they have shared some concerns over potential Death Eaters not taking kindly to their lack of support. We were in the process of upgrading their wards, and those bastards picked the exact right time to hit. There was a period of roughly two hours where the wards were down, and they struck." Sirius shook his head, grimacing. "They had to have an inside source to tell them when, but we don't know who. And none of the Death Eaters that were caught in the attacks were high enough up to give us anything of use."

Harry sighed, wishing they had more, but knowing that those working the case were doing the best they could.

Minerva set down her napkin. "I have already extended an invitation for Blaise, Daphne, and Astoria to spend the next few days here, until their parents are well enough to leave. Madam Zabini and Lord Greengrass were most grateful, and accepted the assistance. I will be picking them up from the hospital shortly."

Harry nodded. "I'll have Tippy prepare a few rooms for them." He stood up and left the room.

**XXX**

When Harry entered the sitting room an hour later, he was just in time to see Minerva step out of the Floo, followed quickly by Blaise, Daphne, and Astoria, all still wearing their Hogwarts uniforms.

Harry smiled, trying to look reassuring. "Hey, guys," he greeted. Minerva smiled at him and left them alone, knowing they were probably more comfortable with Harry, rather than their Transfiguration professor.

Blaise jerked his head in a facsimile of a greeting, but the two girls didn't reply. Their faces clearly showed their shock – Harry wasn't sure if grief had kicked in yet.

He bit his lip. "We set up a few rooms for you, right next to mine, so if you need anything, I'm here. Are you hungry? Have you eaten dinner yet?"

Blaise nodded. "Yeah, at the hospital."

Harry returned the nod. "Come on, I'll show you your rooms." They headed up the stairs. "Do you have your things?"

Again, Blaise was the one to respond. "Professor McGonagall shrunk them for us."

Harry nodded again, and gestured for them to show him the shrunken luggage. After they did so, he pulled out his wand and unshrunk all three trunks.

"Won't you get in trouble?" Astoria asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her gaze was focused on the trunks, though; she hadn't actually looked at him since she had arrived.

Harry shook his head, putting his wand back in its holster. "Just a little secret these two already know," he replied, whispering conspiratorially. "The wards block any magic used here. Just so you know." He winked, and was pleased when the ghost of a smile made its way across her face.

After showing all three their rooms, Harry gestured down the hall. "The bathroom's the third door down. The kitchen's all the way on the ground floor and through the double doors, if you get hungry." He gave the directions for Astoria's benefit, since Blaise and Daphne had spent a good deal of time here the previous summer and knew where most things were located in the Castle.

He looked at the three teenagers in front of him, noting their suddenly anxious expressions, and he sighed. "I have a better idea. Why don't you all change into pajamas and come to my room. We'll have a sleepover."

Astoria perked up a little, grateful for the chance to not be alone, and disappeared into the room Harry had pointed out for her.

Blaise and Daphne considered for another moment, before they nodded and went to go change.

Harry headed to his room, and pulled his blankets off the bed, moving them over to the sitting area that his suite had. He set up some pillows, stripping the sofa and chairs that were there, moving everything to the floor, before he changed into pajamas.

When the others joined him, they all made themselves comfortable on the floor, cocooning themselves in the blankets. Talk was sporadic for a few minutes, before Harry suggested they get some sleep. He knew it wasn't likely they would actually get much rest, but they should try.

**XXX**

Harry wasn't sure at first what had woken him. By the view from the window, it wasn't yet dawn, so why had he been pulled from slumber?

A soft sniffling drew his attention, and Harry raised himself up slightly, looking for its source.

Astoria was curled up in a corner, her knees drawn to her chest and her head buried in her arms. Her shoulders were shaking slightly, and Harry knew she was crying.

Without another thought, he got up quietly, hoping that his movements didn't rouse Blaise and Daphne, still sleeping next to him.

Astoria flinched slightly when Harry sat next to her, but didn't raise her head. Harry settled himself, but didn't speak, hoping that the younger girl would come to him.

A few minutes later, Astoria sniffed and looked over at her host. Harry's profile was calm, as he sat completely relaxed, his knees bent and his arms resting on them. He wasn't looking at her directly, but she imagined he was observing her out of the corner of his eye.

"I miss my mum," she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Harry nodded sympathetically. "Me too," he admitted, his voice just as quiet. Astoria looked at him sharply, and Harry sighed. "I wish I knew what to say to make it better, Astoria. I really do. But the truth is, I don't think that hurt ever goes away." Astoria's crying started anew, and Harry reached over, resting a hand over hers, squeezing gently. "I barely remember my parents, but even when I thought they were drunks who died in a car crash –" Astoria gasped, and Harry grimaced. "Long story. Anyway, the point is, even when I didn't know who they were, who I was, I still missed them. There was a hole in my heart that could never be filled, because my parents weren't there to hug me, to tell me they loved me, to cheer me on at Quidditch or to praise me for my grades, to ground me for having a girl in my room –" Astoria giggled, and Harry smiled. "I never got to have that awkward talk with my dad about girls. Sirius is great, but it's still something I should have shared with my dad. I wonder if he would have told me to go for it when I felt ready, or if I should wait. I never got to experience what having real parents is like. My aunt and uncle hated me, and even though Sirius and Aunt Minerva are wonderful, they're not my mum and dad. And by the time they took over guardianship for me, I really wasn't a child anymore, no matter how much I wish otherwise."

Harry sighed. "I wish I could tell you how to make the hurt disappear. I wish I could tell you that some day, you won't miss her so much. I wish I could tell you that it gets better. But I can't, because I don't think it will. I think the best I can do is tell you that it will get easier."

Astoria swallowed, willing her tears to stop as she leaned into his side, taking comfort in his steady presence.

Harry reached out and drew her closer, his arm snaking across her shoulders. After a few minutes, he felt Astoria's breath even out, and he knew she had fallen back asleep.

He himself dropped off shortly after, and when he woke again, the sun was rising above the Quidditch pitch, and Blaise and Daphne were stirring. He nudged Astoria, and the younger girl groaned, opening her eyes and blinking blearily as she looked around, slightly confused at the position she found herself in.

Harry smiled. "Why don't you use my bathroom. Take a shower, whatever else you need. Flick will make sure you have a change of clothes ready by the time you're done," he referred to the house elf that normally saw to his needs at the Castle.

Astoria nodded and stood up shakily, her legs a little wobbly after hours spent in the same position.

Blaise and Daphne were awake now, and Harry made his way over to them, starting to collect the blankets and pillows. "You guys should get dressed. Breakfast will probably be ready by the time you're done."

They nodded, and went back to the rooms they had been given to find a change of clothes.

**XXX**

Most of the morning was spent quietly, with the teenagers spending some time just relaxing after a hard term. Apparently, the healers had told them that they should spend the day away from the hospital, and their parents had agreed, not wanting them to be depressed by the surroundings.

By mid morning, they found themselves in the library, Astoria working on some school assignments, while Blaise, Daphne, and Harry had found a few books to lose themselves in, wanting an escape from the harsh realities of life around them.

Harry looked up, startled, when Daphne sat next to him on the loveseat he occupied. Blaise was curled up in a chair nearby, and Astoria had claimed a table, with books and parchment spread out around her. Harry had smiled at the similarities to Hermione, but then, Astoria was one of the best students in her year, so he figured it only made sense.

Daphne looked uncomfortable, as she played with the book in her hands. "Thank you," she blurted out suddenly, her voice quiet so as not to attract the attention of the others.

Harry furrowed his brow. "For what?" he asked curiously.

Daphne shrugged. "For letting us stay here… and thank you for what you said to Astoria last night."

Harry blushed. "I didn't know you were awake," he admitted. "I just wanted to help her, but I don't know if what I said was comforting."

Daphne nodded. "I think it was. I think both of us would have slapped you if you had said that everything was going to be all right. Our mother's dead." She said it so bluntly, that Harry winced. "It's not going to be all right. So thank you for not trying to sugar coat anything."

Harry smiled slightly. "Any time."

Daphne smirked lightly. "Yeah, I know I can always count on you to be honest. It's a quality I really admire in you, Harry." Harry looked embarrassed, and after a moment, Daphne's expression turned serious. "Do you really think we'll feel that hole our whole lives?"

Harry sighed, rubbing his chest absentmindedly. "Yeah, I do," he said truthfully. "Some days will probably be worse than others… birthdays, holidays, anniversaries… Now that I'm older and I understand more, and even remember my mum's death, I think a lot about future events. How my mum won't be there to help Ginny shop for a wedding dress, how my dad won't be there to stand next to me and crack jokes as I tear up watching Ginny walk down the aisle. I won't get to tease him as he sobs unabashedly while holding his first grandchild. My children will never know their grandparents. I missed out on so much, and it hurts. What I told Astoria was true, Daph. That feeling will probably never go away."

"How do you deal with it?" Daphne asked, close to crying herself.

Harry took a deep breath. "By remembering what I have now. Two guardians who love me, an adoptive family who accepted me right from the start and always looked out for me. More adoptive siblings than I know what to do with. I don't have my own family, but I made one, and that's gone a long way in lessening the pain. I think, even if I had grown up with Sirius and Remus, and I had always known who I was, who my parents were, why they weren't with me… I would still feel like something was missing. They were a part of me, and that didn't go away when they died." He sighed again. "Daphne, your mum will always be a part of you and Astoria. It will hurt, there will be days when you just want to curl up and forget the world. The important thing is to remember that that feeling won't last forever. It will get easier. And don't forget her. I barely knew my parents, and I worry about the things I don't know. Sirius has been good at sharing stories, but it hurts that I don't know things. Not the big stuff, but the little things. What was my mum's favorite food? What was my dad's favorite color? You had time to learn those things, Daphne, so while it sucks, just try and be thankful for the time you had. And if you find yourself forgetting, just look in a mirror. Look at Astoria. Your mother is a part of you, and that will never change."

Daphne had tears running down her cheeks by the end of Harry's speech, but she was smiling slightly as she leaned over and hugged him, before muttering an excuse and leaving the room, ostensibly to find a bathroom to clean herself up.

Harry swallowed tightly, and turned his head back to his book, rubbing a hand over his face to try and lessen the burning in his eyes. He had never really dredged up all those feelings before. Sure, he and Sirius had commiserated over stories of his parents, but he had never gone so deep, telling someone about all his regrets and all the pain from not having his parents with him.

He loved living with Sirius and Aunt Minerva, especially when he could compare it to Vernon and Petunia, but even though they were great, they couldn't replace his parents. Not that they ever tried to, which he did appreciate.

He knew the Greengrasses would be facing some difficult times ahead. It would be hard for Daphne and Astoria, to go through all the things that they should share with their mum, and not have her there. When they needed to talk about boys, who would they turn to? When they got married, who would help them plan the wedding? When they had their first child, who would reassure them that they didn't need to go to the hospital for every little kick the baby made?

And that wasn't even getting into what Cyrus Greengrass was facing. He was now a single father with two teenaged girls. In the blink of an eye, their whole lives had changed. Harry wondered if there were any females in his life that could help out whenever Daphne and Astoria needed someone to talk to. He hoped so. In the blink of an eye, their whole lives had changed, and Harry knew he would do whatever he could to help them, but he couldn't do everything. The Greengrasses would need to figure a lot of things out, but Harry vowed to himself to be there for them, however and whenever they needed.

_Please review!_


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: don't own**

Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Susan, Neville, and Luna Flooed over after lunch, and they all settled in the library with their friends, catching up on school assignments and the like. Though they didn't say anything, just the fact that they were there and supporting Blaise, Daphne, and Astoria really meant a lot to the trio.

The adults had decided to give the kids some time to rest, especially given the attacks on the Greengrasses and Madam Zabini. Sirius pulled Harry aside and told him there would be a meeting that evening.

Harry bit his lip as he glanced over at his friends. "We can set Astoria up with a movie after dinner, to keep her occupied."

Sirius nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. How's the others' Occlumency coming? I know they were good enough over the summer, but not quite perfect."

Harry nodded. "I told them to set up a time with Jason over the break, just to make sure, but I'm pretty sure they're at the same level as the rest of us." He shrugged. "Of course, I could just be failing at Legilimancy, and they're really awful."

Sirius snorted. "Somehow I doubt that's the case." He sighed. "How are they doing?" his voice softened as he looked over at the group of students working at several tables around the room.

Harry sighed, his gaze also shifting over to his friends. "I think they really appreciated the mini sleepover we had last night. Blaise won't say it, but he's worried about his mum. Madam Zabini's not exactly young, but from what you said, she's doing just fine. It's Daphne and Astoria I'm more worried about. They miss their mum."

Sirius nodded. "That's only natural. Just be the good friend you are, and be there for them. If they want or need something, be there. Talk to them, or just listen."

Harry nodded his agreement. It was no less than he was already planning.

Sirius cleared his throat to get the attention of the rest of the group. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so you guys should think about packing up."

They all nodded, and put their books and parchment in order, before heading to the dining room.

When the meal was over, Harry gestured for his classmates, along with Ginny and Luna, to stay put, while he led Astoria up to the Entertainment Suite. He showed her the movies, and how to operate the VHS player, and suggested a few good films she might enjoy, before he returned to the rest of the group.

"There's a meeting tonight, so if you're up for it, we should head up."

They all nodded, and left the dining room. When they reached the library, they settled down to wait for the adults.

They came in groups over the next ten minutes, giving greetings to the teenagers, and condolences to Blaise and Daphne.

Andromeda and Ted arrived just a step behind their daughter and Remus, and a few minutes later, Bill and Fleur entered, followed by Fred and George. Minerva and Sirius came in still deep in conversation with Molly and Arthur right behind them. Augusta arrived not long after that, and Snape slipped in just as the meeting was about to start.

Once Minerva saw that they were all there, she started the meeting by informing those who weren't aware, of the attack that had taken place a few days earlier.

"Mister Zabini, Miss Greengrass, we are so sorry for what your families are going through," Minerva' voice was compassionate as she looked at her students. They both nodded and the professor continued. "Four Death Eaters were arrested, though none of them were high enough to really be of much use. They've all been sentenced to prison time." She took a deep breath. "It is believed that the leader of the attack on the Greengrasses was Camden Avery. Unfortunately, he escaped before he could be apprehended."

"He's the one that killed my mum, wasn't he," Daphne asked, though it sounded like more of a statement then a question.

Minerva looked at her and nodded regretfully. "The Aurors think so. None of the others had the Killing Curse on their wands when Priori Incantatum was performed." Daphne looked like she was trying not to show how upset she was. Minerva shared a look with Sirius. "Amelia and Kingsley are staying late at the Ministry tonight to try and work through the details on the attack, that's why they aren't here."

From there, the meeting turned to other updates. The Weasley twins showed the group a few of their newer inventions, including a prototype they were working on that, if they could work out a few kinks, would act as a sort of blanket stunner. Harry was very intrigued, since it could potentially knock out anywhere from two to upwards of ten people at a time.

"That's brilliant, guys," he said as they finished their demonstration. "Let us know when you get it to work."

Fred nodded, grinning. "We think this might be just the jumping off point. Once we get the idea to work, we can create devices that send out an area disarm, or maybe a cutting curse. We just have to figure out the details."

Hermione was examining the prototype. "These look remarkably similar to muggle grenades. And the way you pull this here," she gestured to the small pin at the top, "and throw them, it's exactly the way muggles use grenades."

George nodded eagerly. "Exactly. We modeled them after the muggle grenades. We call them magi-grenades." He shrugged. "Not the most original name, but it works."

Sirius smiled. "It's an ingenious idea, guys. This could come in really handy. Let us know if you need any help with anything."

The twins nodded, understanding; a few months earlier, Sirius had signed on as another silent partner to Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes. They had formalized both partnership and Harry's, so that he and Harry would each receive ten percent of the profits in exchange for their monetary backing.

"How are the listening devices coming?" Harry asked curiously. They hadn't heard anything since the summer.

The twins shared a rueful look, before George spoke. "We're a little stalled on getting them to work without active magic powering them, but we'll keep working on it."

Harry nodded, and they moved on.

The next issue they discussed was the new prison Amelia was spearheading. "The prisoners will be transferred from Azkaban on the First. Amelia has put a lot of time and effort into this, and the new location is Unplottable, with layers of wards that the Goblins contributed to, thanks to our resident Gringotts employees." He smiled at Bill and Fleur, who nodded their thanks at the recognition. It had taken several days of negotiations, but the Goblins were paid well for their troubles, and they understood that assisting the Ministry in locking up Death Eaters was in their best interests.

Sirius' expression turned somber. "There will be a short window of time where the wards on Azkaban will be down, while the prisoners are transferred. We're keeping this operation under wraps for now, for that reason. We don't want any word of this getting out, because if the enemy knew that this was happening, they could use it to stage a breakout."

"How many people know?" Harry asked.

Sirius bit his lip. "A few Aurors. Amelia. Us. Those who will be involved in the transportation will be told the night it happens, to lessen the chance of it getting out."

They all nodded, and moved on.

As the meeting came to a close, Sirius coughed lightly, drawing all the attention to him. "Amelia was supposed to be here, but as you know, she got caught up at work, so I'll just make the announcement." He paused for a moment, and smirked when several people rolled their eyes exasperatedly. "We've decided that we're going to get married on New Years Eve."

A few people looked startled.

"Isn't the Minister's wedding going to be a huge deal?" Andromeda asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sirius shrugged. "Exactly why we'd rather do it here, in private. We don't want the press or any other unwelcome gatecrashers attending. You're all invited, but that's it. Neither of us really has a large family."

"I like the idea of a small wedding," Susan commented. "It's much more intimate."

"Yes," Sirius nodded. "We don't want people showing up just because it's the Minister's wedding. We'll send out announcements and all that later. We're not trying to hide it or anything; I don't think that would be possible, considering who we are. We just want to be able to enjoy it with those we care about, without having to be diplomats."

"Understandable," Minerva said. "Who will be performing the ceremony?"

Sirius glanced at Augusta. "We were hoping you would be willing, Augusta," he asked hesitantly.

The Longbottom dowager looked startled. "I'd be delighted, Sirius. It would be my honor."

There were several people who could perform wedding ceremonies. Clergy members, the Minister, the Headmaster, and judges. The members of the Wizengamot were considered judges in the wizarding world, and so, Augusta could legally perform the ceremony. Sirius and Amelia had thought it would be nice to be married by a friend, and that wasn't even getting into the hassle it would be to find someone they could trust to allow access to McGonagall Castle.

The meeting broke up shortly after that, as it was getting late. Minerva and Sirius disappeared towards the kitchens as people started heading towards the Floo, talking about menus and decorations; their direction indicated they would be talking to the house elves about making sure everything was perfect on the Thirty-First.

The adults left first, and the teenagers stuck around for a little while longer, talking, since they still had some time before they needed to get to bed.

"When do you think your parents will be released from Saint Mungos?" Ron asked, looking at Blaise and Daphne.

The two Slytherins glanced at each other, as Hermione dug an elbow into her boyfriend's side for his lack of tact. Ron winced, but still seemed to expect an answer.

"The Healer told me mum could probably come home day after tomorrow," Blaise said softly, some of his worry seeping into his voice.

Daphne sniffed lightly. "Dad will probably be released by Christmas Eve."

Ginny reached over and squeezed the older girl's hand gently. "I'm so sorry, Daphne. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Daphne nodded, smiling tightly.

Harry coughed. "I'm going to go see how Astoria's doing. It's getting pretty late, she should probably get to bed soon."

They all nodded and said goodbye, though Ginny stood up as he made his way out of the room. "I'll come with you. Ron, tell mum I'll be home in a few minutes."

The couple made their way up to the Entertainment Suite, talking through their bond.

_We really need to get a look at some of the books in the Black library,_ Harry commented, pushing open a door.

Ginny looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. _You think?_ She was only being slightly sarcastic.

Harry nodded mentally, glancing at her sidelong. _If any library were to have information on horcruxes, I think that would be it. Sirius is always going on about how dark his family is. We might be able to find something that could help us._

Ginny sighed as they reached their destination. _We'll have to plan carefully. We can't just disappear for the whole day. Someone is bound to find out, and we can't really answer their questions, can we?_

Harry shrugged. _We've already had this conversation with Snape. We can't do this alone, Gin. We'll need help._

_I know,_ Ginny shot back. _But now isn't the best time. When we're back at school, we'll tell them what we know. But if we tell them we're looking through the Black library, they'll want to come, and then it won't be a simple operation, will it? How are we supposed to keep it a secret if six of us, or more, are sneaking off to Grimmauld Place?_

Harry sighed in defeat, and sat down next to Astoria. "Hey," he smiled. "How'd you like the movie?"

Astoria looked over at him and grinned. "This is amazing!" she gushed. "It's so fascinating. Muggles really created this? There are so many to choose from, and it's so much more stimulating than listening to the wireless. Are they still creating new stories?"

Harry chuckled. "Whoa there, calm down Astoria. You're just as bad as Ginny." Both girls blushed. "Yes, movies are still being made. When they first come out, people go to cinemas to watch them on a bigger screen. Maybe next summer we can all go see one. I took Ginny summer before last, and she loved it."

"Right up until the Dementors attacked," Ginny snorted.

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, until that. Anyway," he stood up, offering a hand to his girlfriend. "It's getting late, we should all get to bed now."

Astoria nodded. "Can I watch another movie tomorrow?" she asked as she stood as well.

Harry smiled. "I'm sure that can be arranged."

He sent Astoria on up to her room, and walked Ginny to the Floo.

He gave her a quick kiss good night, before she stepped through, and he went upstairs.

Daphne was waiting for him in his room. She smiled softly at him as he entered, and before he even realized what was going on, she was hugging him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. Harry's arms moved around her waist, and he felt almost like he was the only thing keeping her on her feet, as she began to sob softly into his shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of us, and for being there for Astoria. Thank you for everything you've done."

Harry felt himself tear up slightly as he hugged her back. "You're welcome, Daph," he replied. "I'm always here for you."

Daphne sniffed and pulled back, giving him a watery smile before she headed back to her room.

Harry watched her leave, perplexed, before shrugging and changing into his pajamas.

**XXX**

Over the next few days, Blaise, Daphne, and Astoria spent the mornings at Saint Mungos, before returning to McGonagall Castle in the afternoon.

Ron, Ginny, and Susan came over most days, but Hermione had gone on vacation with her parents for a few days. As she didn't want to be gone for Christmas, they agreed to a short trip to Northern France, and would return late Christmas Eve.

Neville was spending some time fixing up one of his greenhouses, but he did come a few times.

Three days after the vacation started, Madam Zabini was released from the hospital, and Blaise went home, after thanking Harry for his hospitality.

"You're welcome here any time," Harry said as they stood by the Floo.

Blaise nodded. "Thanks, Harry. And thanks, Professor, for letting me stay," he said to Minerva, who was also in the room.

Minerva smiled. "It was my pleasure, Mister Zabini. And as Harry said, you are welcome any time."

Daphne gave her friend and fellow Prefect a hug. "We'll see you later?" she asked hesitantly, and Blaise knew that she was still worried about her father, and grieving over her mother, which was why her insecure side was coming out.

"Of course," he assured her. "I'll come by tomorrow afternoon."

Once Blaise was gone, the teenagers went upstairs to watch a movie. Astoria was captivated by the moving images, and though her interest was more toned down, Daphne also found the concept fascinating. They had worked their way through all three Die Hard movies, two different James Bond films, Mary Poppins, and Cinderella, all in the last few days alone. Harry found it rather amusing, but he understood; as purebloods, they were unused to the kind of technology that muggles had.

The days continued to pass in a similar vein, as Christmas drew closer. On Christmas Eve, Cyrus Greengrass was released from the hospital, and though weak, he was able to go home. He thanked Minerva graciously for her assistance and for looking after his daughters, before the three of them headed back to Greengrass Manor. Astoria gave Harry a hug, thanking him for everything, before Daphne gave her own goodbye.

"I'll see you soon," she said. "Happy Christmas, Harry."

Harry smiled. "Happy Christmas. And if you need anything, just ask."

The two girls stepped through the Floo, and Cyrus held out his hand to Harry. "Thank you, Mister Potter, for being such a good friend to my girls," the Greengrass Lord said.

Harry nodded, returning the handshake. "I'm glad you're all right, Lord Greengrass."

Cyrus shook his head. "Please, it's Cyrus. We are all comrades, are we not?"

Harry nodded again. They were on the same side, and Cyrus' words indicated that he was more willing to come off the bench than he had been before the attack. From Sirius' dealings with his faction of the Wizengamot, he knew that the Greengrasses were leaning more to the neutral side of the light. They wouldn't support Voldemort, but they weren't too willing to fight, either. Perhaps being attacked had changed Cyrus' mind.

Once the Greengrasses had left, Harry went upstairs to prepare his room. The adults had given in to their children's pleading, and allowed them to have a sleepover that night, before they all joined them at the Castle the next morning.

The Ron and Ginny arrived first, followed by Neville, then Susan, then Hermione. They spent most of the evening watching Bambi, and even Ron was crying by the end of the movie. After that, they headed up to Harry's room, where he had made a space for them by moving the chairs and sofa in his sitting area to the side, and spreading out blankets and pillows.

They dropped off quickly, eager for the next morning.

**XXX**

Ron woke the rest of them up at eight o'clock sharp. "Wake up you lot!" he shouted. "Presents!"

Harry rolled his eyes and shared an exasperated look with Hermione. "Is he sixteen or six?" Harry asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Hermione smiled, and Ginny moaned. "Five more minutes," she grumbled.

Harry sighed and bent over, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry love, I don't think he'll give us that," he said contritely.

Ginny groaned and sat up, making her way to Harry's en suite.

They spent a few minutes waking themselves up, brushing their teeth and taking care of other necessities, before they headed downstairs to join the adults.

Tonks was already snuggled into Remus' side on the loveseat as they entered the room.

Sirius and Amelia walked in just behind the teenagers; Sirius had moved into the Bones Estate permanently after Harry and the others returned to Hogwarts in September.

Augusta arrived just a few minutes after Sirius and Amelia, followed quickly by Molly, Arthur, Bill, Fleur, and the twins.

There were 'Happy Christmases' given all around, as they settled in to open their presents.

Harry opened up several new movies and games from Remus, before Minerva pushed hers and Sirius' present towards him.

Harry gasped as he pulled the wrapping paper off, to reveal the newest broom not yet on the market, the Firebolt Mark 2. It was scheduled for release next month. He looked up at his guardian, his eyes wide. "How…"

Sirius smiled. "One of the Black investments includes stock in the Firebolt Company. I was able to get this prototype, and it is personalized, if you'll take a look."

Indeed, on the shaft was his surname, written in gold lettering. Harry shook his head. "You didn't have to…"

Minerva sighed. "That is the basis for a gift, Harry. It's not something you _have_ to get someone. We wanted to get this for you. It is a better broom than the one you currently own. The Firebolt company has done a good job of perfecting their model with this release."

Harry considered for a moment, before he grinned, rubbing a finger across the gleaming wood. "Thank you, so much," he said, beaming at his guardians. She was right that the Firebolt Mark 2 was better than the original Firebolt, though of course, the original was no slouch. The second version was said to have improved a few minor issues that Harry had noted when he flew his Firebolt, such as the slight shaking that occurred when one flew over one hundred and ten kilometers per hour. In addition, the footrests were more stable, and there were several more layers of cushioning charms added for extra comfort.

An owl flew through the window at that moment, interrupting them. It landed on Ron's shoulder, and the redhead took the note clutched in its talons, confused. Written on the piece of parchment was 'Happy Christmas, from Harry and Ginny.' He looked up at his best friend and sister. "What?" he asked, confused.

The two smiled. "We teamed up," Harry explained. "We figured you'd like your own pet, since, you know…"

Ron clenched his teeth at the reminder of his old pet Scabbers. Damn rat. He forced himself to let it go and smiled. "Thanks you two. He's wicked."

Ginny gave her brother a hug. "He's a screech owl, and he doesn't have a name, so make sure you pick the right one."

As if agreeing with her, the owl let out a loud hoot, its yellow eyes observing the room intelligently.

They chuckled, and the owl took off, flying to a nearby perch where it settled. Ron studied the regal bird for a few moments, before he turned to Hermione. "What's the name of that god of the wind? You were reading a book on mythology this summer, what was he called?" 

Hermione looked thoughtful. "What religion? Greek, Roman, Egyptian – "

Ron shrugged. "I dunno. It started with a Z, I think."

Hermione nodded. "Zephyrus? He was the Greek god of the west wind."

Ron nodded eagerly. "That's it!" He turned back to the owl, who was regarding him carefully. "How do you like Zephyrus? Zeph for short."

The owl seemed to consider for a moment, before he gave an approving hoot and flew out the window.

"I like it," Ginny commented.

They all nodded and returned to their gifts.

Harry unwrapped the traditional box of candy from Ron, the Weasley sweater – this year in a soft gray with a green 'H' on the front – and a fruitcake from Molly and Arthur, a book on warding from Bill and Fleur, a book on dragons from Charlie, and some homemade joke products from Fred and George.

Susan chuckled as she opened the gift Harry had given her – a book on the history of the DMLE. When he looked over, she smiled. "Open my present next," she suggested.

Harry did so, and then laughed at finding out that she and Amelia had given him the same book. "Great minds think alike?" he asked, grinning cheekily.

Susan threw a wad of wrapping paper at him, and continued opening gifts.

Hermione's book on martial arts looked to be a very interesting read.

"I thought you might be able to work it into some defense training," his fellow Prefect said, nodding at the book. "It covers several different styles, so it should be useful."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Hermione. This looks great."

Hermione beamed at him, having just opened the book on Arithmancy that Harry had given her. "Thank you so much, Harry, I've been wanting to read this for ages!"

Harry's smile widened, and he nodded.

Ginny gasped as she opened the velvet box with the tag from Harry. "Oh, Harry, this is gorgeous!" she gushed, immediately taking the necklace out to put it on. It was white gold, with an infinity symbol made of diamonds.

Harry's smiled softened, and he looked at her with pure love in his gaze. "I chose the infinity symbol because that's how long we'll be together," he said softly as he helped her put it on.

Molly watched tearfully, though she was smiling at her daughter and… son-in-law. It was a strange concept, but she could clearly see the love they held for each other. It made her so proud, and slightly sad, to see. Her daughter was no longer a child. She had grown into a beautiful woman, inside and out.

"Fascinating," Arthur commented, holding up the package of batteries Harry had given him. "These are what muggles use to power their eckletronic devices, correct?"

Harry chuckled, looking over at the Weasley patriarch. "Some devices run off batteries, rather then electricity, yes," he explained.

Molly shook her head fondly, and proceeded to thank Harry for the set of knitting needles and selection of yarn he had given her.

"Thanks, mate!" Fred and George shouted across the room, pouring over the muggle prank book Harry had gifted them.

Harry nodded at them, and pulled another gift towards him. It was from Snape, surprisingly, and consisted of a book on lycanthropy. He raised an eyebrow, flipping through a few pages. It appeared to include history, theory, and recent developments. This would come in handy in his research.

The next gift was a combined present from Blaise and Daphne, and was another book – he wondered if he really came across as such an avid reader to his friends, but at least they chose interesting reads. This book was on renowned DMLE heads – it consisted of five biographies on what were considered to be the best heads in recent history. Flipping through the front few pages, Harry was startled to see his grandfather, Charlus Potter, listed as one of the subjects in the book. That was probably why Blaise and Daphne had given him this book. He had gotten them each a book of their own, on subjects they were interested in – Blaise, he had given a book on Curse Breaking, and Daphne, an autobiography of a renowned Potions Mistress. He was glad that he had managed to send out an owl order for a present for Astoria, since she would probably feel left out if he didn't give her something, after they had gotten to know each other better at the start of the holiday. He had given her a stationary set, complete with quills, ink, and a nice carrying case that doubled as a surface to write on. It could be turned into a sort of lap desk, so that she could write in bed if she wanted to.

Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as he opened the present from Neville and Augusta. It was a photo album that contained many pictures of their parents, from their school days, through Alice and Lily's pregnancies, and even a few of baby Harry and Neville playing together.

"Thanks, Neville," Harry said softly, causing the other boy to look up from the Herbology book Harry had given him. "This is amazing."

Neville nodded simply. No words were necessary. He understood.

Harry saved Ginny's gift for last. He furrowed his brow as the paper came off to reveal the back of a photo frame. He felt himself tear up all over again, as he turned the frame over to reveal a wedding announcement.

Ginny reached over and rested her hand on top of his. "I found their wedding announcement in a copy of an old _Daily Prophet_ in the library," she explained. "I copied it and enlarged it. Do you like it?"

Harry didn't say anything, but the kiss he gave her indicated that he loved it.

Sirius reached over and examined the announcement. "I remember taking this photo," he commented. "I must have taken twenty before they finally decided they had gotten it right."

Remus nodded. "Lily kept saying her eyes were closed, or she wasn't smiling enough."

"Or she was smiling too much," Sirius chuckled. "And if it wasn't that, it was James whose eyes were closed, or the flash from the camera must have reflected off his glasses, or he wasn't looking right at the camera, or he _was_ looking right at the camera. She wanted it to be perfect."

"She always felt a little inferior," Remus said softly. "She was a muggleborn, marrying the heir to an Ancient and Noble House. She felt like she wasn't good enough."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "James didn't care about any of that."

Remus shrugged. "I know he didn't, but people talk. Lily knew what they were thinking. She and James loved each other, but unfortunately, the Potters were and are in the public eye. People feel like they have a say in your life when you live like that. It doesn't matter whether or not they should, it's how they feel."

Sirius stared. "Where did all this come from?" he asked, amazed.

Remus threw a crumpled up piece of wrapping paper at him. "I'm the smart one, remember?"

Sirius growled and threw the paper back.

Everyone chuckled at their antics, before getting back to the diminishing pile of gifts in front of them.

Harry settled back, and Ginny curled into his side. They were done opening presents, and so were content to watch their family and friends.

Harry looked over at the witch leaning against him. _You know, I suddenly find myself the owner of two top of the line brooms_, he commented idly.

Ginny glanced up and raised an eyebrow. _Yes… you think you can ride them both at the same time?_ she asked archly.

Harry shook his head slightly. "Not at all," he murmured. "But I just so happen to have a wonderful wife who is an unparalleled chaser, and could make use of the second broom."

"What?" Ginny yelped, sitting up quickly.

Everyone looked over at them, confused and startled.

Ginny blushed, embarrassed. "Sorry," she muttered.

Molly frowned. "Is everything all right, dear?" she asked, concerned.

Harry smiled. "Everything's fine," he reassured everyone. "I was just commenting on how I now have two Firebolts, and as a chaser, Ginny could certainly use a top of the line broom."

After a moment's shock, Ron grinned. "Can you imagine how the team's going to be with two Firebolts?! No one else will stand a chance!"

Molly continued to frown. "Harry dear, I understand, but you've already gotten Ginny a wonderful broom, there's no need to –"

Harry shook his head, cutting her off. "Molly, if Ginny doesn't ride it, it's just going to collect dust in a broomshed. A broom like that deserves better." He turned to Sirius. "Sirius, you're the one who got me the broom. Is it all right if I give it to Ginny?"

Sirius grinned. "It's your broom, Harry. It's up to you."

Harry beamed and looked at Ginny. "Well?"

Ginny didn't say anything, but the way she launched herself at her boyfriend and tackled him in a huge hug, kissing him passionately, pretty much said she accepted the gift.

Everyone laughed and smiled, and when they all settled down a few minutes later, Tonks reached for her last present. It had a little note saying 'open last' on it, and she removed the ribbon, confused as to why she had to wait for this one.

Remus shifted slightly away, getting ready; he knew what was inside, of course – it was from him, after all.

Tonks removed the paper, to reveal a small jewelry box. Furrowing her brow, she flipped up the lid and promptly screamed, her hair going from pink to purple and back. She looked up to find Remus kneeling in front of her, a nervous expression on his face.

"Nymphadora Tonks," he ignored the annoyance on her face as he used her full name, "Will you marry me?"

Tonks beamed and threw her arms around his neck. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" she shrieked, as they toppled over onto the floor.

Around the room, everyone was laughing and clapping as Remus sat up, pulling Tonks with him. His grin could have lit the room, as he pulled the box out of his fiancée's hand and took the ring out, slipping it onto her finger.

They accepted congratulations, before Minerva suggested they get cleaned up and ready for lunch, which would be served shortly.

**XXX**

The day passed by quietly, with the teens disappearing to watch movies and play video games, while the adults spent some time with Amelia and Sirius, talking about the wedding, and any other lighthearted topics – nothing war related. They just wanted to relax today.

In the Entertainments Suite, the group broke up to different activities; towards the late afternoon, the boys all ended up playing video games, with much shouting at the telly, while the girls drifted off to the opposite corner with several magazines.

Hermione frowned when she noticed that Susan's attention was elsewhere. "What's going on, Sue?" she asked quietly, setting down the copy of _Witch Weekly_ that she had been reading.

Susan looked over, startled. "Huh?" she asked distractedly. Ginny looked over as well, her attention drawn from the edition of the _Quibbler _she had been reading.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You seem much more interested in a certain sixth year Gryffindor than you are in that magazine."

Susan sighed, looking down at her lap. "It's so stupid," she muttered. When neither of her friends seemed to be willing to accept that response, she groaned. "We broke up. We agreed that it was all right if we saw other people. But why did he have to choose one of my best friends?"

Hermione and Ginny shared a knowing look, before Ginny leaned forward. "Are you sure you're not upset because you still have feelings for him?"

Susan glared at her, but then her expression softened and she nodded dejectedly. "We broke up because neither of us felt ready for long term commitment. We're not you and Harry, Ginny." Ginny blushed lightly, but didn't speak. "I knew he would probably go out with other people, I just didn't expect to feel like this."

Hermione nodded knowingly. "Susan, you care about Neville. You said it yourself, you didn't break up because you stopped having feelings for each other; you just weren't ready. Did you think you were moving too fast?"

Susan nodded, depressed. "I care for him, so much. But we're just teenagers! We're not supposed to be in love, love, like that."

Ginny shrugged. "Everyone moves at different paces."

Susan rolled her eyes. "You and Harry are soul bonded, Ginny. You were meant for each other from the start. I can't compete with that."

"You're not supposed to," Ginny argued. "You're supposed to muddle along and figure it out at your own pace. When it's right for you, it will happen. I believe that."

Hermione nodded, agreeing. "Harry and Ginny aren't normal, Susan. The rest of us can't hope to match up to them. Even Ron and I have disagreements. I'm trying so hard to get him to grow up more, but it's slow going."

Ginny snorted. "Good luck. I've been working on him for fifteen years, and I still can't see any improvement."

They all laughed, quieting when the boys looked over at them. When no answer was forthcoming though, they turned back to their game. Harry shot Ginny a knowing look, and she shrugged.

Hermione caught the gesture, and narrowed her eyes. "Does Harry know what we're talking about right now?"

Susan looked mortified, and Ginny nodded ruefully. "Don't worry, he won't say anything to anyone. It's hard to keep secrets from him though."

Susan groaned, and Hermione looked intrigued, but didn't ask any more questions, thankfully. She really had changed a lot in the last couple of years; she no longer felt the need to question anything and everything. She was wiling to step back and let people come to her when they were ready, without pushing.

Ginny pursed her lips. "It's not just that he's dating, though. You questioned why he had to choose one of your best friends. You wouldn't be having as much trouble if it wasn't Hannah, would you."

Susan nodded, resigned. "Hannah and I have been friends since before Hogwarts. We backed off a little over the last couple of years, and I guess that's mostly on me, since I've been hanging out with you guys more, but we're still good friends. And she didn't even ask me if it was all right, before she said yes."

Hermione and Ginny made sympathetic sounds. "That's on Hannah," Ginny said softly. "She should have asked. But you and Neville were broken up. If you want to get back together, you need to tell him."

"I don't want to break them up or put Neville in an uncomfortable position," Susan argued. "I'll be fine."

Ginny smiled knowingly. "You're in love with him, Sue. Don't worry, he likes you too. You're going to get back together, just be patient."

Susan raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment, as Ron chose that moment to yell out, "Oi! What're you girls talking about? Don't you want a turn?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but moved over to join her boyfriend.

Ginny and Susan followed, and the rest of the afternoon was spent playing games, before they put in a movie.

When Sirius came up to get them for dinner, he smiled softly at finding the teenagers all asleep, curled up on the sofa and floor in front of the telly, as the credits to the movie they had been watching rolled.

He decided to let them sleep, since they had already had their larger meal at lunchtime, and dinner would just be soup and sandwiches. Besides, they looked so cute asleep like that he just couldn't wake them up.

He did manage to retrieve his camera and snap a picture without waking any of them, before he headed down to join the adults for dinner.

_Please review!_


	11. Chapter 11

**You should all be very proud of me! I'm just about halfway done with the next story! I'm really on a writing kick right now, and I'm trying to get as much done now, while I still have free time, as possible. I'm going to be moving in just over a month, and starting a year of service with AmeriCorps, so my free time will probably be limited once that begins.**

**Disclaimer: not mine**

Severus Snape was surprised. Christmas was normally not a holiday he celebrated, choosing instead to spend the day working on various projects, or catching up on reading he wasn't able to get to with all those snot-nosed brats running around during the term.

At least, that's how it used to be. He found that he didn't mind teaching so much, anymore. But he still liked to use the quiet of the holidays to catch up on his personal pursuits.

However, Christams was not a day he considered special by any means. He hadn't gotten a present in years. Not since Lily.

Which was why he had been so surprised to wake up on the morning of the Twenty Fifth to find an innocently wrapped present waiting for him at the foot of his bed. He had, of course, performed all the necessary spells to guarantee that there were no hexes or jinxes on the parcel, before opening it.

Inside was a beautiful set of self-stirring rods for potions, as well as an assortment of ingredients that Severus knew were incredibly rare and therefore exceedingly expensive.

The note proved the gift to be from Harry, who explained that the ingredients were a collection from his personal greenhouse.

So yes, Severus was surprised. He had gotten the boy a gift, of course, but he hadn't really expected one in return. He examined the present once more, and felt something like a smile creep across his face, already considering the potions he could now brew with these ingredients. He may be the Defense professor now, but potions were his true calling. He'd have to find some way to thank Harry for the thoughtful gift.

With that thought in mind, and the potions journal he had been planning to finish today cast from his mind, Severus quickly made his way to his personal potions lab.

**XXX**

As the holidays continued to pass, Harry and Ginny were looking for an opportunity to sneak away to Grimmauld Place. There weren't many, as the entire group came over frequently. Blaise and Daphne visited the day after the holiday, thanking Harry for his presents, and letting out some stress by destroying a few dueling dummies. Astoria came over to watch some more movies, completely captivated by the technology. Harry thought it was a shame that she hadn't taken the Muggle Studies class.

Two days after Christmas, a chance finally prevented itself. Hermione had stayed home to spend the day with her parents, Susan and Amelia had gone dress shopping for the wedding, Neville was working on his greenhouse, and Ron had agreed – only partially willingly – to help Fred and George at their shop.

A little questioning revealed that Minerva would be at Hogwarts all day, and Sirius would be busy at the Ministry, while Remus was working at a muggle bookstore.

Ginny Flooed over promptly at ten o'clock, to give all the adults a chance to leave for their respective duties. Harry met her at the fireplace, and the two immediately left for the Black Ancestral Home.

Harry led Ginny up to the library, keeping an ear and an eye out for any company. The house should be empty, but it was used as a way station of sorts for Dumbledore's Order, so there was a possibility of someone showing up.

_Make sure you're careful around these books, _he cautioned as they entered the massive room._ Sirius said that some of them have curses on them, and some are just plain evil._

Ginny nodded, and they began to wander through the shelves together, not wanting to separate in such a heavy and oppressive place. It was like they could feel the evilness of the books whispering at them, trying to lure them closer.

After almost half an hour of searching, they settled at a table with half a dozen books that looked promising. Though they didn't know how to dispel the curses, Harry could sense which ones were trapped. He wasn't sure how, but some of them sent a shiver down his spine, and he just knew to avoid those ones.

The ones that they had found dealt with methods of prolonging life, a few dark rituals, and the one Harry immediately started with, which spoke about soul magic.

The day disappeared quickly as they poured over the books. Harry was captivated, and disgusted, by what he read, but what he learned certainly fit with what he knew of Voldemort.

Harry looked up and caught Ginny's eye. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a loud crack that echoed around the room.

He looked down at the space next to him, startled, to see an old house elf watching him distrustfully. He frowned; he vaguely remembered Kreacher from his stay here after Sirius had taken him away from his aunt and uncle's. The elf had always been muttering to himself, not making much sense beyond the insults to muggleborns and blood traitors.

Still, he always tried to be polite to house elves, knowing that they had a lot of work to deal with, and not wanting to add to their burden. "Hello Kreacher," he said calmly, trying to sound neutral.

Kreacher peered at him distrustfully. "Dirty godson of blood traitor master speaks. Kreacher wonders what he is doing here. Yes, Kreacher wonders what he is doing touching precious Black family books."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, before Harry set the book he had been reading down, and turning his complete attention to the house elf. "Kreacher, Ginny and I were researching for a private project. We really don't want anyone to know what we're looking for."

Kreacher's eyes narrowed. "Filthy Potter boy speaks to Kreacher. He doesn't want Kreacher to say anything. Kreacher wonders why he should listen to filthy blood traitor."

Harry grit his teeth, ignoring the insults. He just wanted the house elf to understand. "Kreacher, we're trying to find a way to end the war."

Kreacher froze, his eyes widening as they looked at Harry. "Filthy Potter boy speaks the Dark Lord's name. Filthy Potter boy acts as if he knows how to complete such an act. But no one can know. Master Regulus failed. And Kreacher failed Master Regulus." He was nearly in tears by the end of his rant, wailing loudly and sobbing harshly.

Harry frowned. "What do you mean, Kreacher?" he asked softly. "What happened to Regulus?"

He remembered Sirius telling him about his brother. Regulus had proudly joined the Death Eaters at sixteen, and then, according to Sirius, had gotten cold feet about something he was supposed to do, and been killed for it. They only really knew that much because his death date had appeared on the family tapestry that was hanging in this house. He had just disappeared shortly before the war ended. No body, nothing. Did Kreacher know something nobody else did?

Kreacher was still sobbing, but it was slowing down slightly, so Harry slipped off his seat and kneeled in front of the elf. "Kreacher, take your time and calm down. When you feel ready, please can you tell me what happened?"

The politeness Harry extended only set Kreacher off again, and it was almost ten minutes before he calmed down enough to talk. Slowly, and with several breaks, he told Harry and Ginny about how Regulus had volunteered him to the Dark Lord. He had gone to a cave, past animated bodies – which Harry knew to be infiri – floating in a lake, to a small island where the Dark Lord made him drink a potion, before placing a locket in a stone bowl and refilling it with the potion, before leaving. He explained needing a drink, and disturbing the water, causing the bodies to come alive. There was real fear in Kreacher's eyes that made Harry sympathetic and a little uncomfortable.

Harry frowned. "How did you get out, Kreacher? If Voldemort left you there, how did you escape?"

Kreacher looked at him, confused. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to return once the Dark Lord was finished with him."

Harry nodded slowly. It would make sense, he figured. After all, house elf magic was different from that of witches and wizards. It would be just like Voldemort to add anti-apparation wards and completely overlook house elves. If they could apparate and disapparate in Hogwarts, Harry was sure that Kreacher could get around whatever wards were in place at this cave and return home.

He nodded. "What happened next?" he asked, sensing that this part of the story would get even tougher for the poor elf.

Indeed, Kreacher teared up, and then promptly spilled over as Ginny handed him a handkerchief.

After five more minutes, he had finally calmed down enough to continue. "Master Regulus asked Kreacher what happened. He was… concerned, and disappeared for weeks. He came back in the middle of the night and asked Kreacher to take him to the cave." Kreacher's eyes filled up again. "We went passed the bodies, and to the island. Master Regulus, he… he…" Kreacher sobbed, and Harry reached out, resting a hand reassuringly on the elf's shoulder.

Kreacher looked startled by the gesture of comfort, and Harry nodded for him to continue. Taking a deep breath, the house elf did. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to return home no matter what, and not tell anyone what happened, not even his poor mother. Mistress was so distraught, her brave and noble son, vanished, dead."

Harry bit his lip. "He drank the potion and took the locket, didn't he."

It wasn't a question, but Kreacher nodded miserably. "He drank, and saw horrible things. The potion made Kreacher and Master relive… nightmares." He shivered. "When the basin was empty, Master Regulus took out the locket and gave it to Kreacher. He put in a fake, and told Kreacher to leave and destroy the locket. Before Kreacher did so, he saw Master dragged underneath the water by the dead bodies."

Harry couldn't suppress his shiver at the image of anyone dying that way. It must have been horrible. "I'm so sorry for what you've been through, Kreacher."

Kreacher hiccoughed, and peered up at Harry. "Godson of nasty Master feels sorry for Kreacher?"

Harry nodded, smiling reassuringly. "What you went through was horrible, Kreacher." He hesitated. "Would you like to take a seat? Ginny and I would like to talk to you, and we should all be comfortable, right?"

Kreacher looked like he wanted to start crying again, but managed to contain himself, and hesitantly took a seat at the table Harry and Ginny had been working at.

Harry and Ginny also sat back down.

Ginny leaned forward slightly, her warm brown eyes compassionate. "Kreacher, did you know what Regulus was doing when he took that locket?"

Kreacher looked at her, eyes wide. "Master said he knew how to end the war."

Ginny nodded and took a deep breath. "That locket was one of several objects that we believe are tying Voldemort to life." Kreacher shivered a little at the name, but didn't speak. "Harry and I are working towards removing those tethers, so that we can kill him, once and for all."

"Basically, we're trying to continue the work Regulus was doing when he died," Harry summarized, hoping that the elf would be willing to help them. Sirius had many horror stories about how awful this elf was growing up, but Harry knew that house elves mostly emulated their master's beliefs. Kreacher would have been awful, but only because Sirius' parents had acted that way. He would have just followed his Master and Mistress' attitude to please her.

Kreacher's eyes got even wider. "Potter boy will help Kreacher? Kreacher won't fail anymore?"

Harry nodded. "We'll help you destroy the locket, Kreacher. I promise."

Kreacher's mouth twitched, and Harry realized that the elf was trying to smile, but the notion must have been so foreign to him that he wasn't sure how. He was about to speak, when Kreacher popped away. Harry and Ginny barely had time to look at each other before the elf was back. In his hands was a gaudy locket. He held it out to Harry gingerly.

"Kreacher tried throwing it in the fire. He tried freezing it and breaking it, but nothing worked. Kreacher is sure the way to destroy it is by opening it, but it won't open."

Harry took the locket and examined it. It was overly large, and gold, with an 'S' on the front, made up of emeralds. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Ginny. "I think this belonged to Slytherin," he commented.

Ginny leaned forward interestedly and studied the locket. "I think you're right," she agreed. "Although I can't imagine Slytherin walking around wearing that thing. It's kind of hideous."

Harry snorted and nodded. A moment later, he frowned when he felt something like a pull in his scar. It was slightly reminiscent of the pain he used to feel whenever Voldemort was near, and he was concerned.

Ginny furrowed her brow. _Can you feel that?_ she asked, a hint of fear in her mental voice.

Harry nodded imperceptibly. _It's a part of Voldemort. I can almost feel a pain in my scar, like it's responding to the locket._

He looked at Kreacher. "Is it all right if we take this with us? We'll keep it safe, and when we figure out how to destroy it, we'll let you know."

Kreacher's wide eyes studied Harry for a moment, before he nodded. "Master Harry will keep his promise. Kreacher believes Master Harry will finish the Dark Lord."

Harry was slightly shocked to receive such a vote of confidence from the elf, but he nodded, though he was confused as to why Kreacher was suddenly calling him 'master'.

"We should get back before we're missed," Ginny commented.

Harry agreed, and they stood up. "Thank you Kreacher, for hearing us out, and telling us your story. You were a very brave elf that day, and I have a feeling that hasn't changed."

Kreacher sniffed. "Master Harry is very kind."

Harry furrowed his brow. "Why are you calling me 'master now?"

Kreacher peered up at him. "Master Harry is Master Sirius' ward. He is Kreacher's master as well."

Harry raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. He was slightly amazed at how just one day could change the elf's beliefs. All of a sudden, Kreacher wasn't the muggleborn-hating, pureblood promoting house elf anymore. It was a startling change.

He smiled. "We'll see you soon, Kreacher. If you ever need us, don't hesitate to ask. We'll be there."

Kreacher nodded. "Master and Mistress Potter are the best masters ever."

Ginny and Harry stared. "You can see our bond?" Ginny asked curiously.

Harry remembered what Fleur had told them a couple years earlier; that magical creatures could sense soul bonds. House elves would surely know that they were married.

Kreacher nodded knowingly. "Oh yes, it is very strong for a bond that has not been completed. Kreacher knows that Master and Mistress are a very powerful witch and wizard."

The two teens weren't quite sure what to say, so they just said goodbye and headed to the Floo to return to McGonagall Castle, with both the locket and the book on soul magic that Harry found very informative in their possession. Harry hoped no one would notice that they had taken the book, but he doubted they would. The library wasn't used for anything; in fact, the only part of this house that was used was the kitchen, mostly, and that was just for Order meetings.

Once they returned, they immediately headed up to Harry's room. Harry pulled out a small wooden box that he kept various knick-knacks in, and emptied it out. He then placed several powerful wards on the box, before putting the locket and the book in and placing it in the fourth compartment of his trunk. _Hopefully the wards on the box will keep everyone but us out,_ he said as he closed the lid on his trunk. _I think I made them powerful enough._

Ginny nodded. _I'm sure you did, Harry. I could feel the power in them. It should be enough to discourage anyone from trying, if they even figure out what it is we've got._

With the immensity of their situation settling down around them, they both sat down on the bed.

_I can't believe it_, Harry commented.

_I know_, Ginny replied. _I mean, it just seems so different, now that we know the reality._

_In theory it was different_, Harry agreed. _Now that we know these horcruxes are real, and that we're not just grasping at straws, it seems so much more immense._

_We've got a lot of work to do_, Ginny sighed wearily.

**XXX**

Late afternoon on New Years Eve found a small group gathered outside in the back garden at McGonagall Castle. The house elves had decorated the garden with lights, and set out several rows of white chairs facing a makeshift alter. This too had been decorated with lights and draped with a sheer gold tulle fabric. There were white and purple roses on the alter and at the ends of each row of chairs. The aisle had been lined with gold tulle, and there were purple rose petals scattered down its length. Several warming charms made sure that no one would be cold in the crisp December air.

Harry thought that the house elves really knew what they were doing, as he observed the scene from his spot next to Sirius and Remus. The setting was beautiful. It had snowed earlier in the week, and there was still a good three inches on the ground around them, but the location the elves had picked for the ceremony was dry. And the colors worked together very well. It definitely gave off a 'winter wedding' vibe.

The chairs were all occupied, as the guests arrived promptly. The Weasleys came together, with only Charlie – still in Romania – and Percy – still not talking to his family – not in attendance. Fleur was with them. Augusta and Neville arrived early, as the Longbottom Dowager was performing the ceremony. Kingsley and the Tonkses arrived at nearly the same time, and the two Aurors were currently talking about different disarming techniques, while Tonks' parents listened with interest. Hermione showed up just a few minutes before the ceremony was to start, and slipped into the open seat next to Ron, who promptly gave her a kiss on her cheek and complimented her dress, causing Hermione to blush, almost matching her rose colored dress in color, as she smiled her thanks.

Invisible music began to play, and the guests all turned towards the back of the aisle, to see Susan walk down, wearing a gold dress, with spaghetti straps that cut off at the knees. In her hands was a bouquet of purple roses.

Behind her was Amelia. Harry spared a glance for Sirius, and smiled at the loving look in his godfather's eyes. It was as if he was a blind man, seeing the sun for the first time.

Knowing that his godfather was truly happy with his life, and completely in love, Harry turned back to his soon-to-be… godmother? Not really, since his godmother was Alice, but what do you call the woman who marries your godfather? He shook his head to clear it of errant thoughts, and just watched, a content smile on his face.

Amelia's wedding dress was beautiful. It was an off the shoulder long sleeve, simple A-line dress. No lace, no frills, just plain and serviceable. Very similar to Amelia's personality. It definitely fit the hard-as-nails Minister of Magic. Her bouquet was made up of purple and white roses, and several leaves that had been charmed gold.

The smile on her face was blinding. Her eyes caught Sirius', and didn't waver as she made her way down the aisle.

Once the two of them were standing in front of Augusta, Amelia handed her bouquet to Susan to hold, and the Longbottom Dowager began. "Welcome, friends and family. We are here today to join Sirius Orion Black and Amelia Susan Bones in holy matrimony. I hope you will bear with me, as performing weddings is not something I have ever done before. I will do my best not to miss anything." Everyone chuckled, and Augusta smiled. "Sirius and Amelia told me they wrote their own vows, so I'll let them get to it. Sirius?"

Sirius smiled widely, and focused on Amelia. "When I was seventeen, I joined the Aurors straight out of Hogwarts. I was… Well, I was an idiot who thought he could take on the world. I thought I was the smartest, the toughest, the strongest… and then I went to my first day of classes. And there was this fiery instructor there, who wasted no time in dumping me on my arse and telling me that pretty didn't mean squat to a Death Eater." Amelia snorted, and everyone else laughed. Sirius shrugged. "She then kicked my arse a few more times, and I knew she was a keeper." Amelia's smile widened. "Amelia, we've both had our share of hardships. We've both had ups and downs. We lost so much time, and it's hard not to think about the 'could have been's. But that doesn't matter any more. Because it's no use thinking about what we missed. All that matters is what we can achieve, together. We've got our whole future ahead of us. Forever." He took a deep breath, grasping her hands tightly. "And so, Amelia Susan Bones, I vow to love you fiercely, no matter what challenges or obstacles we face. I vow to face those challenges with you, to never let you go through it alone. I vow to be your best friend, your confidant, your love, your life. Forever and always."

Amelia was tearing up as he finished, as were a few of the guests. Augusta nodded, and turned slightly.

"Amelia?"

The Minister took a deep breath and started talking. "When we first met, I thought you were just a nuisance. Just one more obstacle on my way to the top. But then you just had to go and prove me wrong. You were so damn stubborn, and persistent, and I found myself falling just a little bit further each day without even realizing it." She sniffed, composing herself, and Sirius smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. "Standing here, looking at you, I'm reminded of all the reasons I fell in love with you. With you, I'm complete. We're complete. I remember the laughs, the beautiful moments, and the hardships that only made us stronger. I give you this promise today: I will love you completely, I will stand by you through good times and bad, I will cherish every moment, and I will knock you down a peg whenever you need it." Everyone chuckled.

Augusta nodded to Harry, who pulled out a ring and handed it to Sirius. Augusta cleared her throat. "Sirius, place the ring on Amelia's finger and repeat after me: with this ring, I thee wed."

Sirius took Amelia's hand in his and slid the diamond-encrusted ring on her finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

August looked at Susan, who handed Amelia Sirius' ring. "Place the ring on Sirius' finger and repeat after me: with this ring, I thee wed."

Amelia slipped the ring onto her soon-to-be husband's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Sirius looked down at the wide platinum band that now adorned his finger.

Augusta looked at the crowd. "It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you Lord and Lady Black. Sirius, you may kiss your bride."

Needing no more encouragement, Sirius leaned forward and captured Amelia's lips with his own, oblivious to the clapping and cheering around him.

When they broke apart, Amelia smiled prettily up at him. "You're stuck with me now, Black."

Sirius leaned forward again and gave her a peck on the lips. "Good," he replied, pulling back.

They went down to accept their friends' congratulations, while the house elves set up several tables and got the food ready for dinner.

They had a very enjoyable evening, eating the food the elves had prepared. There was a small dance floor set up, and the various couples spent most of the night there, dancing and enjoying the beautiful evening. It was a clear night, and millions of stars could be seen twinkling above.

When midnight rolled around, Fred and George once more set off fireworks, these with predominantly purple and gold colors. Everyone cheered as images took shape up in the inky black sky; roaring dragons, sparkling unicorns, and at the very end, the letters S and A inside two hearts linked together. The couples all shared kisses before heading inside for the night.

Susan stayed at McGonagall Castle, while Sirius and Amelia returned to the Bones Estate. She would stay with Harry and Minerva until returning to Hogwarts, to give the newlyweds some time to themselves. It wasn't feasible for them to go on a honeymoon, not right now at least, and not with the war, but at least Susan could give them some space. Before the two adults left, Susan and Harry hugged them and congratulated them once more.

Amelia smiled brightly as Harry pulled back. "If I haven't said it yet, Harry, I am thrilled to be able to call you family. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Harry blushed and nodded. "I'm glad Sirius has you," he said quietly, looking over at his godfather, who was currently speaking softly to Susan, smiles on both of their faces. "He needs someone to ground him. You both deserve to be happy."

Amelia teared up and gave him another hug, before she and Sirius stepped through the Floo.

**XXX**

Harry and Susan were getting ready to leave for the Hogwarts Express two days later, when their morning was interrupted by a haggard Sirius stepping through the fireplace.

Harry frowned, reaching forward, surprised to see his godfather looking so exhausted. "Sirius? What's going on? What are you doing here?"

Sirius grimaced. "I know you two need to leave soon, but the situation has changed a bit. Last night, Azkaban was attacked."

The two teenagers stared. "I thought you were moving the prisoners?" Susan asked hesitantly.

Sirius nodded. "We were going to, last night. We've got a mole. We swept the Department early this morning, and found several listening spells set up. Whoever did it had to at least be partially aware of the procedures at the DMLE, because every room is swept regularly for listening spells to prevent just this from happening. The Death Eaters knew when we were moving the prisoners, and when the wards would be down. There was a period of a couple of hours and they struck at exactly the right time. Seven Aurors are dead, and nine more were injured, with three of those critical."

Harry bit his lip. "How many escaped?"

Sirius shook his head. "All of the Death Eaters that were captured at the Ministry, as well as roughly twenty more who had not been sprung last year." He paused. "And Umbridge."

Harry groaned. Of course that hag would jump at the chance to join ranks with Voldemort.

Sirius sighed. "It's a tough situation, and I wanted to let you guys know first, before you read about it in the _Prophet _tomorrow. I guess we can be happy that at least this happened too late for it to be printed right away. I also wanted to let you know that your trip to the Platform is no longer just Remus and Tonks seeing you off. A contingent of Aurors will meet you at the Floo station at Kings Cross." He held up a hand at the looks of annoyance both teens were giving him. "I know, you don't want the guard. But you have to look at it from our perspective. Susan, you're the Minister's niece. And Harry… well, you're Harry." Harry rolled his eyes, and Sirius chuckled. "Not to mention, the godson of the Minister's new husband."

He tossed them that morning's copy of the _Prophet_, where the Minister's secret wedding covered the front page. Since no one had been aware of the wedding beforehand, the only picture showed was the official one they had had taken immediately following the ceremony, with Sirius and Amelia smiling happily in each other's arms from the alter. They had given it to the paper to use, knowing that they weren't going to hide their new status.

Harry tucked the paper into his bag, to read later, and looked back at his godfather.

Sirius shrugged apologetically. "I know you don't want a bunch of people you don't know watching your every move, but you need protection. And don't tell me you can take care of yourself, Harry, this is how it's happening. Each person on this detail has been personally vetted. They're all a part of Amelia's personal guard."

Harry nodded resignedly, and Sirius smiled slightly. "I need to get back to help deal with the search and a whole bunch of other issues. You should head to the station, the guard should be there by now."

They nodded and gave the older man a hug before he stepped through the Floo. They looked at each other, both gazes successfully conveying their aggravation at having minders escort them to the Platform, before they gathered their belongings and went through the fireplace. As Harry had sent Hedwig on ahead, all he had to carry was his trunk, shrunken and inside his pocket, and his rucksack, which contained a clean uniform and a few books to read on the journey. Susan likewise only had a shrunken trunk and a shoulder bag with things to catch her interest on the trip.

At Kings Cross, they were met with five stony-faced Aurors, and Tonks, who smiled and waved at them, her hair its typical bubblegum pink.

"Wotcher Harry, Susan," the perky Auror greeted.

They greeted Tonks in return, before one of the other Aurors coughed, and Tonks rolled her eyes. She gestured to the exit. "Let's get you two to the Platform, shall we?"

They all headed through the crowded station to the barrier between platforms nine and ten. In groups of two, they crossed through to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, where the Aurors cut a clear path through the masses; people stared as they walked by, which was only natural, considering the armed guard that was escorting the two teenagers.

They stopped at a car halfway down the train, and Tonks gave them both a hug. "You should get on the train. I'll send the others your way when they arrive." Harry nodded his thanks, before glancing questioningly at the others. Tonks shrugged. "They stay until the train leaves. Protocol and all that."

Harry and Susan rolled their eyes, and got on board.

Over the next fifteen minutes, the rest of their friends arrived, before the train took off at eleven o'clock precisely. Once they were on their way, Harry and Susan told the others about the prison break.

Hermione gasped in shock. "But how? I thought they were moving the prisoners to prevent this from happening?"

Harry nodded grimly. "They were, the night the breakout happened. Unfortunately, Sirius believes there's a spy in the Department, who informed them of what was going on, as well as the window the wards would be down, so they were able to plan their attack around our weaknesses."

"Wouldn't just the information they were able to get give us some sort of clue as to who it was?" Ron asked. "Only a handful of people knew this move was happening."

Harry sighed. "They found listening spells set up. They were probably taken down and re-applied regularly, to avoid detection by the department. Unfortunately, this widens the pool of suspects slightly, though whoever did it did have to be aware of department policies and procedures."

"And we really can't do much since we don't know who those suspects are," Ginny grimaced.

Harry nodded. "Exactly. It'll be up to Sirius, Kingsley, Amelia, and the DMLE Head, Scrimgeour, to figure this one out. We've got enough problems of our own."

The two of them shared a significant look, thinking about the locket and the horcruxes, but didn't elaborate to their friends, who all considered school duties, plus the insane homicidal maniac bent on killing Harry to be enough to worry about.

They all settled down with reading materials for the rest of the trip; Harry shared with them the article about Sirius and Amelia's wedding, and they all commiserated over Harry and Susan's increased guard for the short walk from the Floo access to the Platform.

It was dark as the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station, and Harry and his friends, now all changed into their uniforms, headed to the thestral-drawn carriages and made their way up to the castle.

Seeing the lights shining in welcome of the return of the students, Harry smiled. As much as he loved McGonagall Castle, he was glad to be returning to the first place he could ever remember calling home.

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